Drivers traveling a northern span of Interstate 275 are about to get a little more breathing room.

The Ohio Department of Transportation on Monday plans to open the first of two SmartLanes that will allow vehicles to use the inside shoulder during morning rush hour. That will add a fourth lane for commuters between roughly 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. on weekdays.

The SmartLane – the first in southwest Ohio – will run between Reed-Hartman Highway and Loveland-Madeira Road on westbound I-275. That’s roughly between Blue Ash and Loveland.

Less congestion, fewer accidents

With 95,000 to 115,000 vehicles traveling that section of I-275 a day, the SmartLane will help ease congestion and reduce accidents, the department said in a press release.

The design of the project, supported with technology, will “help mitigate safety risks” on the interstate, the release said.

How SmartLane will work

• Transportation staff will monitor traffic in the area and open the SmartLane if traffic slows to less than 55 mph.

• When in use, digital signs will mark the inside shoulder lane with a green arrow. The lane will be marked with a red X when closed and a yellow X when starting to close.

• Digital signs will also adjust speed limits. When the SmartLane is open, all traffic on that stretch of I-275 will be 55 mph or less instead of the usual 65 mph.

What will SmartLane cost?

The westbound I-275 SmartLane is part of a $22.3 million interstate project that includes repairs and resurfacing between U.S. 42 and state Route 28.

An eastbound I-275 SmartLane is planned, with construction to start in 2028 if funding is in place. It will run the full distance of the interstate project. The balance of the westbound SmartLane will be completed then as well, to match the starting and ending points of the eastbound one.

The overall eastbound interstate work will cost $69.5 million. It calls for widening bridges over the Little Miami River and improving the interchange at Interstate 71, in addition to installing the SmartLane and related technology.

The I-275 improvements are among more than 100 construction projects for the Ohio transportation department’s District 8 this year. They include 38 in Hamilton County, 14 in Clermont, 12 in Greene, 11 in Butler, 10 in Preble, nine each in Warren and Clinton, and six district-wide.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: SmartLane: What’s new on I-275?