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Bad news for night owls and early morning commuters: the Ventura Freeway will be fully closed between the 405 and the 134/170 freeways from midnight to 5 a.m. next Wednesday and Thursday. All lanes and ramps on the north and southbound 101 freeway will be shut down both nights while Caltrans installs loop detectors on the five-mile stretch of the freeway, following a repaving project.
What exactly are loop detectors and why do we need them? Per a Caltrans statement:
Loop detectors track travel time information and speeds that reflect real-time traffic conditions. The data collected from the wire loops can be translated in many ways. For instance, the count for how many vehicles pass over each loop at any given time determines traffic volume. The length of time that a vehicle remains on the loop indicates a possible incident, congestion or if traffic is flowing smoothly.
"For people who work late at night or early in the morning, this could really cause a great detour for their travels," Caltrans Public Information Officer Patrick Chandler told LAist.
