All-electronic toll collection starts on PGBT this Wednesday, July 1

by PegNews wire

The North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) will convert the President George Bush Turnpike (Bush Turnpike) to all-electronic toll collection (all-ETC) on Wednesday, July 1, 2009.

By 12:01 a.m. July 1, the Bush Turnpike will become a cashless toll facility. The traditional cash booth lanes will be closed and video tolling will be in effect at all plazas allowing all motorists to drive through all plazas without stopping to pay. Customers who do not have a TollTag will receive ZipCash invoices in the mail after their trips.

"The safety of our customers during this conversion is our highest priority," said Clayton Howe, NTTA assistant executive director of operations. "All motorists, whether they are TollTag or ZipCash customers, should keep moving. We also ask that our TollTag customers slow down and use caution while motorists who currently use cash adapt to the new way to pay and the smoother flow of traffic."

Crews will begin transitioning the road to all-ETC at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, June 30, 2009. Several rolling lane closures are expected during the evening hours on June 30 as crews install new signage over the lanes and temporary barricades blocking off the traditional cash lanes.

The transition is scheduled to be complete by 6 a.m. July 1, 2009, prior to the morning commute. After the conversion, all customers will travel in the main lanes through each toll plaza and through the right-hand lanes at the ramp plazas. Additional signage and traffic monitors will be in place to remind drivers to keep moving through the plazas.

After the July 1 conversion, construction crews will return to replace the temporary barricades with more permanent structures. The post-conversion work is expected to be completed mid-October.

"Traffic may move slower this week as drivers adjust to all-electronic toll collection on the President George Bush Turnpike," said Howe.

Over the past several months, crews have installed equipment, new signage and temporary barricades as well as re-configured lanes at two main lane toll plazas along the Bush Turnpike to prepare for the all-ETC conversion. In addition, the NTTA conducted several public meetings along the Bush Turnpike corridor, created an all-ETC Web page and ran advertisements to raise public awareness about the conversion.

All-ETC is quickly gaining in popularity across the country because of the advancements in technology and its many benefits to the toll road customer. Benefits of the all-ETC conversion of NTTA facilities include time savings, added convenience, increased safety, improved air quality and fuel efficiency, which translates to cost savings.

Source: NTTA