Drivers entering northbound traffic on Interstate 15 from Center Street and University Avenue in Provo will soon begin encountering ramp metering systems as they merge onto the freeway.

The Utah Department of Transportation says the new meters will go into effect Thursday on both freeway on-ramps and will operate during weekday afternoon rush hours.

Traditional ramp meters allow controlled access to an interstate through traffic signals at on-ramps. Each ramp meter uses sensors in its area to inform wait times and determine when vehicles can begin merging.

Vehicles are individually signaled to merge with the flow of freeway traffic, typically at a rate that is dependent on the current volume and speed.

Wyatt Woolley, Region 3 senior communications director at UDOT, said the goal is to reduce traffic congestion and to keep traffic running smoothly along I-15.

“And to keep that going, we’ve got to let only a certain number of cars (enter) at a time,” he said.

Ramp metering is nothing new in Utah County, as several freeway entrance ramps already have the system in place.

UDOT has also previously used the measure at both the Center Street and University Avenue entrances during large events and football games at Brigham Young University. But as normal traffic volumes continue to increase, Woolley said the time is right for a permanent implementation.

“It’s gotten to the point where we’ve just grown so much. There’s just so much traffic and the mainline every day at 5 p.m. just gets backed up. … We just have to turn it on now,” Woolley explained.

The impact to drivers will be minimal, according to Woolley. But he said motorists may notice a slight wait along the freeway ramps as they wait for the signals to proceed and merge with traffic on I-15.

UDOT encourages drivers to pack their patience while adjusting to the ramp meters.

“It’s always a little annoying for anyone who’s used to just going on the ramp. But I also would say that it’s also annoying when you get onto I-15 and it’s just back to back, bumper to bumper traffic,” Woolley said. “Nobody wants that, so the purpose of this is to help things flow.”