I'm convinced that metering lights are just another BS project to keep union employees employed, along with several other unnecessary caltrans projects. In my town, there's pretty much a stop sign or light at every intersection, metering lights are everywhere just backing up city streets that used to be fine. Meanwhile, the Altimont pass driving surface is so bad that I won't even drive my car over the west bound pass. Tearing apart cars, and it's a dead motorcyclist waiting to happen. Very dangerous.
My biggest gripe about the idiots at Caltrans is the over the San Mateo Hwy 92 connector to 880. They spent years, and probably hundred of millions of dollars on creating a new connector to ease congestion and it did absolutely nothing. They dedicated only two lanes to merging with 880 (which is exactly what we started with), and sent the other two into downtown hayward. Stupid.