San Jose
– South County commuters may have an easier drive starting
Monday, when the ramps connecting the carpool lanes on U.S. 101 and
Highway 85 open.
With the first carpool-to-carpool connector ramp in Santa Clara
County, drivers in the diamond lane will no longer have to cut
across several lanes of solo drivers to merge into the far right
lane to exit U.S.101.
San Jose – South County commuters may have an easier drive starting Monday, when the ramps connecting the carpool lanes on U.S. 101 and Highway 85 open.
With the first carpool-to-carpool connector ramp in Santa Clara County, drivers in the diamond lane will no longer have to cut across several lanes of solo drivers to merge into the far right lane to exit U.S.101.
Instead, those in the far left carpool lane on 101 will exit left onto a ramp that places them directly in the carpool lane on 85. Drivers not in the carpool lane will continue to merge onto 85 from the far right lane.
The carpool connector ramps will be open for both northbound and southbound traffic, with another ramp for all traffic connecting southbound U.S. 101 with northbound Hwy. 85.
The $66.8 million Valley Transportation Authority project was funded largely from the 1996 Measure B Transportation Improvement Program, with $25 million of that coming from the State Traffic Relief Program. The half-cent sales tax measure has funded various freeway improvements, including the widening of 101 that was finished last spring. Two lanes were added to both northbound and southbound 101 from Metcalf Road to Cochrane Road, greatly reducing the commute time from South County to Silicon Valley.
A ceremony commemorating the opening will take place at 10:30am. Santa Clara County Supervisor and former Gilroy Mayor Don Gage, San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales and U.S. Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren will be among the dignitaries in attendance.
