ORLANDO, Fla. — Have you seen the traffic lights on I-4?
“I thought they were crazy. I was glad they didn’t work,” one Orlando driver said when asked about the traffic signals that are up on several on-ramps in downtown Orlando.
You may have noticed them too. They’re at South Street, Ivanhoe and nine other locations. But what are they?
“I don’t know. I don’t know enough about it,” another driver admitted.
They’re called ramp signals. They are essentially stoplights for highway entrances. Though currently dark across Central Florida, they are operational on Interstate 95 in South Florida.
Here’s how they work. When the light is red, vehicles must wait behind the line. When it turns green, one or two cars are allowed to merge onto the highway.
The Florida Department of Transportation released a how-to video to explain the system to South Florida drivers. The signals are located on select ramps to improve the merging process and reduce bottleneck congestion that happens when too many vehicles try to enter the highway at the same time.
Channel 9 first noticed the new lights back in 2022. At the time, FDOT officials said they were still awaiting testing. In 2024, when asked again about the signals, there were still no specifics.
A follow-up this summer finally prompted an update. FDOT stated that analysis is still underway and that ramp signaling will be used when needed, though there is currently no timeline for when they’ll be activated.
Opinions from drivers remain divided.
“Well, I think it’s about time they turned it on,” one said.
“I was just thinking, like, when they do work, it’s going to make traffic a lot worse,” another added.
Ramp signals are not unique to Florida. They’ve been used in various parts of the country. FDOT says after implementing them in Miami-Dade County, average travel speeds during the afternoon rush hour increased by 6 mph.
Still, in Orlando, where traffic frustration is a constant, the signals remain dark. So for now, continue to merge onto I-4 normally. There’s no need to stop.
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