Tonight, New York Thruway Transforms Tolls to Cashless

By Yehudit Garmaise:

    Starting tonight, the New York Thruway Authority is modernizing its 570-mile transportation system by converting 58 tolling locations to tolls that are cashless.

   Cashless tolling reduces congestion, improves traffic flow, is better for the environment, and allows for non-stop travel on New York’s toll roads, bridges and tunnels, according to the Thruway’s website.

   To limit the transition’s impact on traffic, the official switch will take place late tonight. When cashless tolling goes live, cash will no longer be accepted as a form of payment at toll booths, and printed toll tickets will not be handed out.

   To support this transition, NY E-ZPass has released a new TollsNY mobile app to help drivers manage E-ZPass accounts, find and pay Tolls by Mail invoices, and get important account alerts for tolls accrued at Thruway, MTA, and Port Authority tolling sites.

   The $355 million design-build project to convert to cashless tolling is transforming and modernizing the Thruway system for approximately 267 million motorists who travel the superhighway each year. As part of the project, American-made steel gantries with state-of-the-art technology have been installed to replace cash collection at toll booths. Gantries are located over the Thruway or on exit ramps depending on traffic volumes, safety, and other factors. The tolling structure will not change and drivers will continue to be tolled by distance and exits traveled.

    The conversion to cashless tolling marks the end of phase one of the project. Phase Two, which will begin following the conversion, includes the removal of existing toll plazas. During the interchange reconstruction, drivers will continue to travel through existing toll lanes at reduced speeds, without stopping, until the booths are removed and road reconfigurations are complete.

    Drivers should expect traffic shifts, and they should use caution around the toll plazas during this time, as these will be active construction zones. The posted speed limit when traveling through the toll lanes will be 20 MPH.