"This project is transforming New York's transportation
system by improving driving experiences, expediting traffic flow, and improving
air quality in areas surrounding toll plazas," Governor Cuomo said.
"With upgrades like this, we are ushering in a new modern era for
traveling across this state which will benefit motorists for decades to
come."
Thruway Authority Executive Director Matthew J. Driscoll
said, "The Thruway Authority is making incredible progress with the
historic conversion to cashless tolling on the ticketed system which will
benefit millions of motorists who travel the Thruway every year. As the project
continues, we're on schedule for the system to go live by the end of 2020,
ushering in a new era of transportation on the Thruway."
Crews are now installing cashless tolling equipment on the
gantries, which include state-of-the-art sensors and cameras that read E-ZPass
tags and take license plate images. There will be more than 2,000
state-of-the-art cameras affixed to the gantries when completed. The equipment
is not currently operational as the system will go live all at once by the end
of 2020.
The gantries installed over the mainline highway range from
58 feet to 150 feet in length by 23 feet in height, and weighing between 25,000
and 104,000 pounds. Gantries installed over the entrance/exit ramps range from
48 feet to 94 feet in length by 23 feet in height, and weighing between 33,000
and 74,000 pounds. Gantries were fabricated utilizing approximately 3.5 million
pounds of 100 percent American-made steel and hundreds of New York workers in
accordance to the "New York Buy American" Act at LMC Industrial
Contractors Inc. in Livingston County.
As Governor Cuomo first announced in his 2018 State of the
State address, the $355 million investment will transform and modernize the
Thruway system for the approximately 267 million motorists that travel the
superhighway each year.
Motorists are encouraged to sign up for E-ZPass, which is
the most convenient way to pay tolls on the Thruway. E-ZPass tags are sold at
retail locations across the state and motorists can also sign up online. For
additional information on how cashless tolling works and tips on how to pay
bills on time, visit the Thruway Authority's website at thruway.ny.gov/cashless.
Additionally, the Thruway Authority launched a webpage
dedicated to the project and its developments. One of the many features on the
webpage is the Interactive Map. Motorists can view where the gantries are
installed along the system and the progress made at each location. The webpage
also features a FAQ section, project gallery and traffic information.
In June 2019, Governor Cuomo announced Cashless Tolling
Constructors, LLC (CTC) was awarded the contract to install cashless tolling
across the entire Thruway ticketed system by the end of 2020. CTC is a
consortium of contractors which is performing work in each of the four Thruway
Maintenance Divisions; New York, Albany, Syracuse, and Buffalo. A workforce of
more than 800 staff is spread along the I-87 and I-90 corridors, spanning 18
counties.
When cashless tolling is operational on the Thruway's
ticketed system and all toll booths are removed, motorists will drive
seamlessly under gantries so vehicles no longer have to stop to pay tolls. Vehicles with E-ZPass tags are automatically
charged and vehicles without E-ZPass tags will have their license plate image
captured and a toll bill mailed to the registered owner. As part of the Design-Build project
requirements, the switchover to cashless tolling will take place simultaneously
system-wide by the end of 2020.
Following the conversion to cashless tolling, the existing
toll plazas and barriers will be removed in phases. During the deconstruction
phase, 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 will be required to use caution around the toll plazas
during this time, as it will be an active construction zone. The posted speed
limit when traveling through the toll lanes will be 20 MPH.
