INDIANAPOLIS — There's a big change coming to Interstate 465 on the southeast side of Indianapolis that will impact how you merge onto the interstate.
The new technology is called "ramp meters," which are part of the I-465 Southeast Transportation Systems Management Operations project.
INDOT said the goal is to improve traffic flow and safety along the busy corridor.
“It’s all about adaptability," said Kyleigh Cramer, spokesperson for INDOT. "These ramp meters are scheduled for one car at a time, but when it sees those peak hours, it will allow more cars at a time to prevent that ramp backup."
Here’s how the ramp meters will work:
- Ramps meters are installed on I-465 between I-65 and I-70.
- They will be activated during peak travel times or if there is a crash.
- Sensors in the pavement will determine when you can merge.
- The light will cycle between red and green to indicate when cars can merge. One car will go at a time.
- When the meter is not in use, the signal will flash yellow.
If the ramp gets full while the meter is in use, the signal will adapt to traffic conditions and increase the rate at which the signal allows cars to merge.
The ramp meters will start flashing yellow on April 29 to alert drivers of the change. They will then be fully activated on May 6.
The rollout also includes more than 60 variable speed limit signs. The digital signs are posted every half-mile on both sides of I-465. They will increase or decrease by five miles per hour, depending on the traffic.
Additional “dynamic message signs” are also added to the corridor to give real-time traffic alerts and information.
This is the first time ramp meters are being used in Indiana. Indiana State Police plans to educate drivers first before enforcing the new traffic law.
“Be patient. Be courteous. Obey them as you would any other traffic light. Red means stop. Green means go. Don’t try and follow the car ahead of you," ISP Sgt. Brent Gulinson said. "They are there for a reason, and at the end of the day, they are there to help all of us safely commute through Indianapolis."
The total cost for the new technology is about $9 million, according to INDOT.
Click here for more information on ramp meters.