PA Turnpike News

[J N Winkler]

The larger context here is that manual toll collection on ticket toll roads has historically been about 30% of revenue collected.  This leaves a lot of room for high initial costs of electronic toll collection infrastructure as well as leakage at various points in a toll-by-plate collection process.  Nor does every error necessarily cost the turnpike agency.  As already noted in this thread, and as I have learned from personal experience on the Kansas Turnpike, there are many scenarios where process failures (involving either transponders or cameras) result in a too-high toll being charged that then becomes the payer's responsibility to contest.

This said, I think that for an agency with a mature process for transponder collection (i.e., no antipatterns such as using toll gantries for backdoor speed enforcement), the best results usually come from using a transponder with a single vehicle (not a combination) that is owned rather than rented.  I've used pay-by-plate in situations where the alternative would have been massively inconvenient (e.g., the Golden Gate Bridge), but I always breathe a sigh of relief when the transaction goes through correctly.

[rickmastfan67]

It also doesn't help that several people around here have 'altered' plates.  I've seen plates where have the reflective coating is gone on just the numbers, all gone, sanded numbers, plates pealing to the bare medal, you name it!  Honestly, they should add checking license plates condition to the inspection process.  Make those people fail inspection till they get a replacement plate from the state, as some of it is obvious intentional damage to it.

It's clear some are defacing their plates or placing dark covers over them (the latter is definitely illegal - they must find inspection mechanics that turn a blind eye or they remove them once a year).  However, the PA plates have been peeling themselves without doing anything (seems it is a bigger issue with plates within the last 10 years).  I had one where the film was delaminating, which created dark spots.  I agree about the inspection, as a mechanic can complete a form for a free replacement standard plate.  Unfortunately, those with vanity or specialty plates have to pay the full fee for a new one, which is absurd.

Well, I know we've never had any issues with our plates.  Ours have stayed pretty much in mint condition (with no plate cover).  Maybe we've been lucky, who knows.

But if the reflective part is missing from only the numbers on the plate, hands down, that's 100% intentional, and that person should be forced to pay for a new plate, even if it's a standard one.

[NJRoadfan]

I haven't had any issue using ticket toll roads with E-ZPass for close to 20 years now. The transponder tech is solid and works. For those wondering, LPR tech has gotten REALLY good. I'm amazed at how well it reads terrible plates with peeling/bubbling reflective coatings and dirt or other obstructions (including plate covers). Things like double reads are accounted for and the ETC lanes have other sensors to work with as well to determine what is a "vehicle". LPR still can't really distinguish the state that issued a plate though, so manual verification is needed for this.

[MASTERNC]

There is now a construction page for the fiber optics the Turnpike is laying, and the installation photos do show the previously referenced poles.  The project has the cable going all the way to Harrisburg East (I-283).

https://www.paturnpike.com/yourTurnpike/fiber_project.aspx

[Crown Victoria]

The Southern Beltway (PA Turnpike 576) section between US 22 and I-79 is opening today, albeit with partial access at I-79 due to incomplete ramps which will be finished by next summer.

https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2021/10/15/southern-beltway-set-to-open-to-traffic-friday/


*Also posted in the Southern Beltway-PA Turnpike 576 thread on the Ohio Valley board.

[Crown Victoria]

The remaining Mon-Fayette Expressway and Southern Beltway projects may not be finished until the 2040s!

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/transportation/2021/10/17/Pennsylvania-Turnpike-Southern-Beltway-Mon-Fayette-Expressway-long-term-projects/stories/202110170090

[Mr_Northside]

The remaining Mon-Fayette Expressway and Southern Beltway projects may not be finished until the 2040s!

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/transportation/2021/10/17/Pennsylvania-Turnpike-Southern-Beltway-Mon-Fayette-Expressway-long-term-projects/stories/202110170090

I'm whatever the opposite of shocked is.

[74/171FAN]

(For PA 345 as well)  PennDOT - District 6 News: PA Turnpike to Route 345 (Bulltown Road) Beginning November 22 for Bridge Construction in West Nantmeal Township

[cpzilliacus]

The remaining Mon-Fayette Expressway and Southern Beltway projects may not be finished until the 2040s!

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/transportation/2021/10/17/Pennsylvania-Turnpike-Southern-Beltway-Mon-Fayette-Expressway-long-term-projects/stories/202110170090

I'm whatever the opposite of shocked is.

Imagine where these projects would be if the Pennsylvania Legislature had not ordered  PTC to pour billions of dollars down the transit subsidy rathole with Act 44.

[jeffandnicole]

The remaining Mon-Fayette Expressway and Southern Beltway projects may not be finished until the 2040s!

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/transportation/2021/10/17/Pennsylvania-Turnpike-Southern-Beltway-Mon-Fayette-Expressway-long-term-projects/stories/202110170090

I'm whatever the opposite of shocked is.

Imagine where these projects would be if the Pennsylvania Legislature had not ordered  PTC to pour billions of dollars down the transit subsidy rathole with Act 44.

Using Covid-19 as an excuse is a non-excuse, because it hit everyone relatively equally.  Most transportation agencies aren't using that on a continual basis like the PTC is doing.  Many other agencies have seen most of their traffic return to normal, or fairly close to normal.

Also, how important were those highways anyway?  Even with Act 44, the money that the PA Turnpike does have winds up being spent on roads of questionable value, whereas the money could be better spent in areas where traffic demands call for widening and construction.

[Crown Victoria]

Also, how important were those highways anyway?  Even with Act 44, the money that the PA Turnpike does have winds up being spent on roads of questionable value, whereas the money could be better spent in areas where traffic demands call for widening and construction.

The PTC funds the construction of the Mon-Fayette Expressway and Southern Beltway projects through revenue (and borrowing against that revenue) that it receives from the gas tax and registration fees. These fund transfers are mandated in Act 89 of 2013 and previous legislation. This means that the PTC has been sending toll revenue to PennDOT for mass transit, while PennDOT sends gas tax money to the PTC to build roads and collect tolls on those roads. It should be noted that the legislature can't just reverse this and use gas tax money for mass transit, because that would be unconstitutional in PA (gas taxes are reserved for roads, and apparently the State Police).

[tylert120]

Turnpike to build interchange in Penn Township, Westmoreland County

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/transportation/2021/10/28/Turnpike-to-build-interchange-in-Penn-Township-Westmoreland-County/stories/202110280153

[Great Lakes Roads]

Even though Manny Guzman, a lawmaker from Berks County, wants to see toll booth workers back in the toll plazas during peak hours, the PA Turnpike CEO said that "the potential return of toll booth workers is not something that is under consideration at the turnpike" and "Because we have to get to the next phase of this system, toll booths won't be at these interchanges for much longer, so that process is really behind us now."

https://www.wtae.com/article/pennsylvania-turnpike-toll-booth-workers-bill/38089999

[MASTERNC]

Turnpike to build interchange in Penn Township, Westmoreland County

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/transportation/2021/10/28/Turnpike-to-build-interchange-in-Penn-Township-Westmoreland-County/stories/202110280153

In here, it's clear the toll plazas won't be gone for five more years.  The Thruway was able to get rid of them in less than two.

[Mr_Northside]

In here, it's clear the toll plazas won't be gone for five more years.  The Thruway was able to get rid of them in less than two.

All of that is intertwined with their project to deploy fiber optic cable along their ROW.  Like the EZ-Pass deployment, they're starting east and eventually making it west.

[MASTERNC]

Looks like the plans for the MP 126-131 construction have been posted as part of a "constructability review".  I see a few curve removals in there (likely where the drainage boxes are sitting in the grass off the EB side of the road going down the hill).

https://ebs.paturnpike.com/generalinformation/help/files/120_126_131_RECONSTRUCTION.PDF

[Crown Victoria]

Some updates on construction projects found while perusing the Turnpike's new website:

-Reconstruction from MP 28-31, MP 102-109, and MP 324-326 is underway, with completion in 2022, 2024, and 2025 respectively.
-The reconstruction of the Northeast Extension from MP A38-A44 is out for bids.
-Reconstruction from approx. MP 126-131 will go to bid next year. This project will eliminate the steps at New Baltimore.
-Looking at the updated Total Reconstruction Initiative table, final design will be complete next year for MP 312-316 and from MP 351-355 (two projects, separated by the Neshaminy toll barrier), presumably with those projects going to bid shortly thereafter.
-The Northeast Extension from Quakertown to Lehigh Valley will see bridge replacements over the next several years, including the I-78 bridge. Reconstruction starts around the mid-2020's.
-The earliest Pittsburgh area project on the mainline Turnpike (besides what's already under construction) appears to be MP 62-66, which will complete design in 2026.
-There's not much yet on the Turnpike website for the upcoming SR 130 interchange.
-The Allegheny Mountain Tunnel project and the completion of the I-95 interchange aren't happening anytime soon.
-The Mon-Fayette Expressway should see construction start next year.

As always, things are subject to change...

https://www.paturnpike.com/traveling/design-construction

[ARMOURERERIC]

So, it appears that the PA 441 bridge over the turnpike is being dropped this weekend.  With such a short gap in 6 lane sections at this bridge, does anyone know if the project will widen this small section.

[MASTERNC]

Looks like Scranton bypass design work is resuming.  There is one mistake in the article though: the speed limit on I-81 is 55 MPH for most of the bypassed roadway.

https://www.paturnpike.com/news/details/2021/12/17/pa-turnpike-announces-design-restart-for-scranton-beltway-project

[74/171FAN]

PennDOT - District 6 News: U.S. 422, North Gulph Road Traffic Stoppages Wednesday for PA Turnpike Construction in Chester, Montgomery Counties

[Crown Victoria]

The PTC has a few ideas to try to reduce the burden of unpaid tolls, including giving those without credit cards the option to pay their Toll-By-Plate bill or add funds to EZ-Pass accounts at convenience stores:

https://www.pennlive.com/news/2022/01/pa-turnpike-officials-say-they-have-plans-to-reduce-unpaid-tolls-which-hit-105m-last-year.html



Also, I wouldn't mind seeing information from the Massachusetts Turnpike, the New York State Thruway Authority, and the Florida's Turnpike Enterprise concerning leakage from cashless tolling, especially considering the Mass Pike has been fully cashless for some time now, and the FTE has had cashless tolling on parts of their system for years as well (I believe most of their system is now cashless).

[jeffandnicole]

The PTC has a few ideas to try to reduce the burden of unpaid tolls, including giving those without credit cards the option to pay their Toll-By-Plate bill or add funds to EZ-Pass accounts at convenience stores:

https://www.pennlive.com/news/2022/01/pa-turnpike-officials-say-they-have-plans-to-reduce-unpaid-tolls-which-hit-105m-last-year.html

Also, I wouldn't mind seeing information from the Massachusetts Turnpike, the New York State Thruway Authority, and the Florida's Turnpike Enterprise concerning leakage from cashless tolling, especially considering the Mass Pike has been fully cashless for some time now, and the FTE has had cashless tolling on parts of their system for years as well (I believe most of their system is now cashless).

Mentioned in the article was a claim that NJ drivers account for about half of the unpaid tolls from out-of-state vehicles, which seems to be a surprising claim being so many NJ residents have EZ Passes, and to get to the PA Tpk almost always requires going over a bridge where EZ Pass would be much more convenient than paying cash, or going out of the way to hit a free bridge.

EZ Pass on the NJ Tpk is about 89.5% of all transactions. For commerical vehicles, it's much higher...over 95% of CMVs use EZ Pass.  I tried looking up EZ Pass usage on the DRPA and DRJTBC bridges, but those agencies don't appear to publish those figures.

That all said, the PTC never really does hint at what percentage of unpaid tolls are from out of state motorists. It may be the overwhelming majority of unpaid tolls are from their own state's drivers.  While NJ residents may be half of the overall out-of-state non-payers, the "get" as they mentioned they're trying to fight for may be smaller than what they're alluding to.

[rickmastfan67]

PennDOT should help them a little bit by forcing License Plates to be double checked during inspection to see it they've been 'altered' and fail the car till it's replaced.  I've seen TONS of plates locally that have serious damage, including a few where about 95% of the reflective coating/paint is completely gone on the plate.  Most of the time, there's no way that isn't intentional, especially when the car looks completely brand new!

[storm2k]

The PTC has a few ideas to try to reduce the burden of unpaid tolls, including giving those without credit cards the option to pay their Toll-By-Plate bill or add funds to EZ-Pass accounts at convenience stores:

https://www.pennlive.com/news/2022/01/pa-turnpike-officials-say-they-have-plans-to-reduce-unpaid-tolls-which-hit-105m-last-year.html

Also, I wouldn't mind seeing information from the Massachusetts Turnpike, the New York State Thruway Authority, and the Florida's Turnpike Enterprise concerning leakage from cashless tolling, especially considering the Mass Pike has been fully cashless for some time now, and the FTE has had cashless tolling on parts of their system for years as well (I believe most of their system is now cashless).

Mentioned in the article was a claim that NJ drivers account for about half of the unpaid tolls from out-of-state vehicles, which seems to be a surprising claim being so many NJ residents have EZ Passes, and to get to the PA Tpk almost always requires going over a bridge where EZ Pass would be much more convenient than paying cash, or going out of the way to hit a free bridge.

EZ Pass on the NJ Tpk is about 89.5% of all transactions. For commerical vehicles, it's much higher...over 95% of CMVs use EZ Pass.  I tried looking up EZ Pass usage on the DRPA and DRJTBC bridges, but those agencies don't appear to publish those figures.

That all said, the PTC never really does hint at what percentage of unpaid tolls are from out of state motorists. It may be the overwhelming majority of unpaid tolls are from their own state's drivers.  While NJ residents may be half of the overall out-of-state non-payers, the "get" as they mentioned they're trying to fight for may be smaller than what they're alluding to.

That number makes sense, as NJ shares a border with PA so it makes sense that a decent number of people would come from NJ. I agree that most of the unpaid tolls are from PA residents though, because like NY, it's pretty easy to "alter" the plates to make them impossible to read. NJ's move to the all digital plates in 2016 made that a lot harder.

[MASTERNC]

PennDOT should help them a little bit by forcing License Plates to be double checked during inspection to see it they've been 'altered' and fail the car till it's replaced.  I've seen TONS of plates locally that have serious damage, including a few where about 95% of the reflective coating/paint is completely gone on the plate.  Most of the time, there's no way that isn't intentional, especially when the car looks completely brand new!

This is key.  The standard replacement plates are free - all you need is a signature from a police officer or mechanic. Unfortunately, you have to pay the full fee for a new specialty plate or vanity plate, which makes little sense.