A new set of ramp meters will debut at some U.S. Highway 95 interchanges this morning, joining meters that have been regulating onramp traffic at some northwestern Las Vegas Valley U.S. 95 locales since 2005.

And next month, engineers will activate additional ramp meters along a half-dozen Interstate 15 interchanges in the resort corridor in what will be the first use of such devices along I-15.

Today's ramp meter activations will be at the Las Vegas Boulevard onramp to northbound U.S. 95, and Eastern Avenue onramps to both northbound and southbound U.S. 95.

The activations are expected around 6 a.m. today.

"They will probably be used during peak travel times, morning and afternoon rush hours," Tracy Bower, a Regional Transportation Commission spokeswoman, said Tuesday.

Essentially, the meters are stoplights that allow vehicles to enter the freeway one at a time in hopes of thinning slowdowns that occur around interchanges, where a cluster of cars entering the freeway tries to merge with traffic already on the freeway.

The meters use a red light to hold a car for a few seconds before signaling a green light, allowing the vehicle to enter the freeway. Then the cycle repeats.

RTC officials expect few traffic problems from drivers who may be unused to such metering.

"Most of us are ingrained as drivers to stop on red and go on green. These ramp meters operate in the exact same way," Bower said. "There are a few in use in the valley already. A lot of people have used them in other cities as well."

Ramp meters were first introduced in the valley two years ago, when such signals were activated along U.S. 95 onramps at Cheyenne Avenue and Lake Mead Boulevard.

Additional ramp meters are set to be activated Feb. 13 at six I-15 interchanges, including northbound and southbound onramps from Russell Road, Flamingo Road, Spring Mountain Road and Charleston Boulevard; the southbound onramp from Sahara Avenue; and the northbound onramp from Tropicana Avenue.

Bower said drivers who refuse to yield for ramp meters will be considered stop light runners by police, and be subject to a ticket.

Bower said there are no plans to activate a northbound U.S. 95 meter from Fourth Street/Casino Center Boulevard after testing showed it created traffic backups that blocked access to a nearby fire station. It is unclear whether that meter will be ever activated.

Engineers will keep a careful eye on the newest ramp meters and make adjustments as necessary.

"They'll continue to monitor traffic patterns to ensure they don't back up traffic onto the side streets," Bower said.

More information on ramp meters is available online at www.rtcsouthernnevada.com/rampmeters/.