The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is planning to implement a cashless toll system on all the six bridges and tunnels connecting New York and New Jersey. Currently, there are cash tolls and E-Z pass tolls at these crossings. The Port Authority believes that by eliminating the cash tolls will reduce congestion. The plan is to install cameras that will take pictures of a car’s license and send a bill to the car’s owner if the car does not have a E-Z pass transmitter. Currently, cash tolls cause traffic slowdowns because drivers need to stop and ...continue reading]]>

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is planning to implement a cashless toll system on all the six bridges and tunnels connecting New York and New Jersey. Currently, there are cash tolls and E-Z pass tolls at these crossings. The Port Authority believes that by eliminating the cash tolls will reduce congestion. The plan is to install cameras that will take pictures of a car’s license and send a bill to the car’s owner if the car does not have a E-Z pass transmitter. Currently, cash tolls cause traffic slowdowns because drivers need to stop and hand money to a toll operator. In addition, cars with/without EZ-pass have to change lanes in order to get to a EZ-pass/cash toll, which has led to traffic accidents and causes congestion. By implementing the cashless toll, the number of lanes can be reduced while creating free flowing, non-stop traffic.

“An all-electronic toll system could be a tremendous boon to our road transportation system, helping to smooth the choke points at bridges and tunnels,” Anthony Shorris, the Port Authority’s executive director, said Tuesday. “This would mark the end of the tollbooth as we know it, replacing these brick-and-mortar symbols of the 20th century with the digital-imaging technology of the 21st century.”

Right now, the Port Authority is only planning to do a study. If they do roll out the system, New York and New Jersey will be the first states in the nation to have a cashless toll system.