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Throughout the summer, the California Department of Transportation will conduct significant construction improvements on U.S. 101 on-ramps in South County in order to prepare them for a real-time metering system. The work is expected to begin by the end of June, according to a press release from CalTrans. Work will proceed on 17 freeway exit facilities from the San Benito County line to the U.S. 101 interchange with state route 85. Construction consists of the installation of metering elements, ramp widening, the addition of 22 closed circuit television cameras, 49 maintenance vehicle pullouts, 12 police pullouts and four traffic monitoring stations, according to CalTrans staff. Construction will occur in both day and night hours and some weekends, the press release said. Intermittent ramp closures will occur during the evenings, but some daytime ramp closures are possible. Electronic highway message signs will be posted to help motorists traveling through the area. Noise from the construction will be “unavoidable,” the press release said. More details on specific lane and ramp closures will be posted on the CalTrans website, when they are scheduled, at www.dot.ca.gov.The ramp metering/widening project will “enhance traffic flow on the freeway, decrease travel time and improve mobility through the corridor during peak hours,” the press release said. “The electronic traffic systems will allow real-time monitoring of highway conditions to provide better response times for law enforcement, fire and medical emergency.”The project is expected to be completed in fall 2015, with the metering system to be turned on and fully functional by 2016, CalTrans staff said. South County on-ramps to U.S. 101, both northbound and southbound, to be affected by the construction activity are located at the following exits: — Cochrane Road, Morgan Hill— Dunne Avenue, Morgan Hill— Tennant Avenue, Morgan Hill— San Martin Avenue, San Martin— Truck scales on-ramp, San Martin— Masten Avenue, San Martin— Leavesley Road, Gilroy— Tenth Street, Gilroy— Monterey Road, Gilroy.

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