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[edwaleni]

Or the time I was coming back from Michigan with my uncle.

He dropped his quarter and it rolled under the car.

He gets out of the car to go find his quarter.

Meanwhile the line starts backing up behind us.

I get out and my side and look and there are hundreds upon hundreds of quarters all pushed into the asphalt. I tell him to forget it and just pull out another quarter.

Soon the honking starts, but that doesn't deter him.

He finally finds his quarter under the car, throws it into the basket and off we go.

I ask him why didn't you just get out another quarter?

I then get a 15 minute lecture on the value of a quarter, and while it may not have value to me, it certainly does to him.

That was my last word until we got home.

[US20IL64]

Don't miss sitting in lanes waiting to pay tolls, at all. I dump my extra change buying stuff at 7-11.

[abefroman329]

Don't miss sitting in lanes waiting to pay tolls, at all.

Oh God no, I have strong memories of the backups at the Deerfield toll plaza, especially on weekends during the summer.

I dump my extra change buying stuff at 7-11.

I don't pay with cash very often and get coins back even less often, so I just hoard them until I have enough to justify taking them to the bank to be counted.

[ChiMilNet]

Don't miss sitting in lanes waiting to pay tolls, at all. I dump my extra change buying stuff at 7-11.

I was among many who had that dime, nickel, quarter organizer in the front seat specifically for the tolls. Then came the mid 2000s and I got my iPass and haven't looked back since (OK, except when I was driving a friend's car one time and they didn't have an iPass). Interesting that the self-service lane option never really got a foothold, and I do wonder why those weren't at least kept (maybe cost and manpower needed to maintain?).

[US20IL64]

Just pay online, and get a tech savvy friend to help if needed.

[JoePCool14]

Interesting that the self-service lane option never really got a foothold, and I do wonder why those weren't at least kept (maybe cost and manpower needed to maintain?).

They probably came around too late. If they had introduced them network-wide a decade or so ago, they may have actually stuck around. At this point, it makes more sense for ISTHA to move to online only.

[abefroman329]

I was among many who had that dime, nickel, quarter organizer in the front seat specifically for the tolls.

The one that had the different-sized notches where you could store the coins sideways, or the kind that was a coin dispenser?

Interesting that the self-service lane option never really got a foothold, and I do wonder why those weren't at least kept (maybe cost and manpower needed to maintain?).

Not that many people any more who have a credit card and own a car, but not a toll transponder, or have a credit card and own a car, but don't have regular access to the Internet.  When they announced they were ending cash toll collection, they also announced they were expanding access to this program: https://www.illinoistollway.com/assist

[ChiMilNet]

I was among many who had that dime, nickel, quarter organizer in the front seat specifically for the tolls.

The one that had the different-sized notches where you could store the coins sideways, or the kind that was a coin dispenser?

Interesting that the self-service lane option never really got a foothold, and I do wonder why those weren't at least kept (maybe cost and manpower needed to maintain?).

Not that many people any more who have a credit card and own a car, but not a toll transponder, or have a credit card and own a car, but don't have regular access to the Internet.  When they announced they were ending cash toll collection, they also announced they were expanding access to this program: https://www.illinoistollway.com/assist

Answer to first item: The one that had different sized notches to store the coins sideways.
Second Item: For local drivers, I totally get it (BTW, I have been using iPass for 15 years now). I do think of those out of state drivers, though, who don't know the system as well. For those drivers, the website doesn't exactly tell you where it detected your plate and such (as far as I know), so it isn't as user friendly, and having that self-service option would be a helpful idea, since they whole plaza is still there in most cases (unless the ISTHA has plans to ultimately tear them down).

[US20IL64]

Saw a Self Serve lane at the exit for IL-22 on Tri-State (94). So still hanging in there.

[abefroman329]

For those drivers, the website doesn't exactly tell you where it detected your plate and such (as far as I know), so it isn't as user friendly

Oh, it's awful in that regard; I'm a local and I couldn't tell you which toll plaza I exited at, or the precise time of day I exited.

I don't think they installed any of the self-service machines at mainline toll plazas, though; maybe they will.

[Joe The Dragon]

Saw a Self Serve lane at the exit for IL-22 on Tri-State (94). So still hanging in there.

the roselle rd ones where just shutdown over the past 1-2 days

[ChiMilNet]

For those drivers, the website doesn't exactly tell you where it detected your plate and such (as far as I know), so it isn't as user friendly

Oh, it's awful in that regard; I'm a local and I couldn't tell you which toll plaza I exited at, or the precise time of day I exited.

I don't think they installed any of the self-service machines at mainline toll plazas, though; maybe they will.

Based on the trend, it seems that they are being removed, if anything. I think they are making a mistake by doing that, for reasons noted above, but I guess online is the future and the future is now.

[Revive 755]

I don't think they installed any of the self-service machines at mainline toll plazas, though; maybe they will.

They did install some at mainline plazas:

* The Army Trail Plaza on I-355 had one for each direction.
* The Boughton Plaza on I-355 had one for each direction.

What's worse is they seem to have gotten rid of the I-Pass confirmation lights (these) at some of the ramp plazas (unless I'm hitting a lot of burnt out ones - the online statement shows no issues with my transponder).

[abefroman329]

That’s unfortunate - I appreciate the confirmation that my EZ-Pass was read. I’ve been honked at several times for confirming the blue light lights up before proceeding.

[ET21]

Blue light always pops up no matter your speed. I think the "full stop" or 15 mph limit is for safety mostly for when they had people in the booths along with the narrow kiosk lanes. I've gone through at many mph between 15 and 55 and the light always goes on.

[abefroman329]

Blue light always pops up no matter your speed.

Yeah, but I still like to wait for the blue light to come on before proceeding.

[US20IL64]

The I-Pass lights flash fairly quick, even at 35 mph. 

[abefroman329]

If I roll through at 35, it's gonna be way too late to do anything about it if the blue light doesn't come on.

[lstone19]

If I roll through at 35, it's gonna be way too late to do anything about it if the blue light doesn't come on.

What would you do if it doesn't come on? Even if you come to a stop, it's too late to do anything about it.

[US20IL64]

"What would you do if it doesn't come on?"

I never had an issue in 20 some years of I-Pass. And, the open road tolling lanes do not have the 'confirmation lights'. With rentals, paid online easily. And have auto-replenish.
 

[abefroman329]

If there's an issue with my EZ-Pass, I'd like to know about it sooner rather than later.  I don't drive through toll plazas with barriers nearly as much as I drive through toll plazas without barriers.

[Revive 755]

If there's an issue with my EZ-Pass, I'd like to know about it sooner rather than later.

I second this.  I would like to know of any issues with my I-Pass rather than have it act up, not know about it, and have issues when trying to use it on a toll facility outside of Illinois - mainly Indiana where there are still gates at the plazas.

[Joe The Dragon]

If there's an issue with my EZ-Pass, I'd like to know about it sooner rather than later.

I second this.  I would like to know of any issues with my I-Pass rather than have it act up, not know about it, and have issues when trying to use it on a toll facility outside of Illinois - mainly Indiana where there are still gates at the plazas.

Why does Indiana still have gates? even in the ECT only lanes?? I all most took out an gate one day not knowing that they had them.

[lstone19]

Why does Indiana still have gates? even in the ECT only lanes?? I all most took out an gate one day not knowing that they had them.

Because apparently it’s more important not to let even one car through without or with an inoperative EZ-Pass even if it means delaying all the cars in line behind the problem car. And yes, I’ve seen that happen.


iPhone

[roadman65]

http://www.highwayhost.org/Illinois/IllinoisTollway/tollway1.html
Vintage photos of the original Howard Johnson Restaurants at the Oasis that now are food courts for Tollway Travelers.