How long are exit ramps

Near the bottom of the figure, a deceleration lane is added to the right of the two through lanes, leading to a right exit ramp. The deceleration lane runs parallel to the through lanes and is separated from them by a dotted and then broken white line. A broken lane markings for one-half length of full-width deceleration lane and optional dotted extension of lane line. At the theoretical gore point, the broken white line becomes wide solid white "channelizing lines" that then becomes a white triangle in front of the gore.

The exit ramp curves away to the right. A legend shows a black arrow indicating the direction of travel in the lanes. The "Tapered Deceleration Lane for Exit Ramp" figure shows the two lanes of one direction of a divided highway.

A solid yellow line is to the left of the leftmost through lanes, a solid white line separates the rightmost travel lane from the right shoulder, and the through lanes are separated from each other by a broken white line.

The tapered deceleration lane immediately angles away from the through lanes and is separated from them by a dotted white line. A note shows this as an "optional dotted extension of right edge line. At the "theoretical gore point, the dotted white line becomes wide solid white "channelizing lines" and another wide solid white line angles off along the left edge of the exit ramp, forming an elongated white triangle in front of the gore.

The exit ramp angles off to the right. The "Cloverleaf Ramps" figure shows the two right lanes of one direction of a divided highway. Near the bottom of the figure, an entrance ramp from the right side joins the through roadway. As the entrance ramp approaches the gore, the solid yellow line to the left of the entering lane changes to solid white channelizing lines that continue past the gore and join with the wide solid white line from the through lane to form a triangle.

The inverse is a nuisance too when drivers slow way down on the freeway prior to exiting on the ramp. The proper way to exit is to keep a steady speed until you exit, as most off ramps supply ample space to slow down before needing to stop. Again, the Driver Guide offers a procedure for exiting traffic. If the road you are traveling has exit ramps, do not slow down until you move onto the exit ramp. Besides coming up the ramp at varying speeds, too-few drivers time their merges properly.

But that maneuver is unnecessary when merges are properly timed. In terms of safety and flow, traffic is less affected when the mergers take it upon themselves to enter in such a way that no one has to change lanes, slow down, or speed up for them. Besides sometimes being impossible for freeway drivers to change lanes, it is not legally incumbent upon them to yield right of way to mergers. Officially, it is the mergers who must yield to traffic already traveling upon the freeway.