News:

Thanks to everyone for the feedback on what errors you encountered from the forum database changes made in Fall 2023. Let us know if you discover anymore.

Main Menu

The path to Open-Road Tolling on the Kansas Turnpike begins

Started by route56, March 06, 2017, 02:22:53 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

J N Winkler

"It is necessary to spend a hundred lire now to save a thousand lire later."--Piero Puricelli, explaining the need for a first-class road system to Benito Mussolini


Revive 755


Brandon

Quote from: Revive 755 on November 16, 2017, 05:50:50 PM
Quote from: J N Winkler on October 05, 2017, 04:21:54 PM
Edit:  Here is the APL diagrammatic.


I take it Kansas does not like manned toll-plaza symbol (see Page 251 or 15 of 16 here)?


ISTHA doesn't use it either, opting instead to use a large $ in a white circle.
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg

J N Winkler

To turn this around:  is there any agency that actually uses the toll-taker symbol?
"It is necessary to spend a hundred lire now to save a thousand lire later."--Piero Puricelli, explaining the need for a first-class road system to Benito Mussolini

Brandon

Quote from: J N Winkler on November 17, 2017, 11:09:57 AM
To turn this around:  is there any agency that actually uses the toll-taker symbol?

I've never seen one, and that includes Oklahoma, Kansas, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and New Hampshire.
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg

Rothman

Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

route56

UPDATE! Eastbound ORT lane to open December 5:

Quote
Tomorrow is the day for K-TAG customers to keep moving at Eastern Terminal near Kansas City. On December 5, the newly converted Eastern Terminal will be fully operational. You may have already experienced the new open road tolling with westbound travel through the toll area. With this change, eastbound will be operational as well.

What changes should you expect?

* As a K-TAG user, instead of slowing down to 20 mph, you will continue to travel at highway speeds through the toll area, while cash travelers will exit right to pay their toll.
* Traffic conversion will take place in the afternoon.
* Going forward, in order to properly maintain equipment, routine maintenance will occur overnight and require lane closures.
* The highway speeds, for the next few months, will be lower than the rest of the roadway to allow for construction and technology crews. Please follow posted speed limits through the area. (The westbound ORT lane is posted at 55 MPH -RPK)

...

We're excited for this monumental occasion and look forward to our future open road tolling locations at East Topeka and Southern Terminal in the upcoming years. Learn more about open road tolling at www.ksturnpike.com/openroad
Peace to you, and... don't drive like my brother.

R.P.K.

J N Winkler

Here is publicity additional to what Richie just posted:

Wichita Eagle article:  "New plaza lets Kansas Turnpike drivers bypass toll booth"

The Eagle article has a few minor ambiguities.  The 10 mph limit for K-Tag users applies not to dedicated K-Tag lanes at toll plazas, which are subject to a 20 mph limit, but rather to shared cash/K-Tag lanes; and, while some preparation has been done for ORT at the Southern Terminal, I do not think a contract for it has yet been advertised.

Over Thanksgiving weekend I went to Kansas City and both legs of the journey carried me on the Turnpike between Exit 71 (K-254/K-196 El Dorado) and Exit 127 (US 50/I-35 Emporia).  This was the first time I had travelled on the Turnpike since last August 23, and I used the dedicated K-Tag lanes as usual.  I noticed that all of the internally illuminated "K-Tag Thank You" lights had been removed, as had the entry gate at Exit 71, and both exit and entry gates at Exit 127.  The only gate I encountered was in the down position as I exited at Exit 71, and it raised as normal even though I had entered at Exit 127 significantly in excess of the 20 mph limit.

I recall reading in a past issue of the KTA's email newsletter ("Turnpike Times") that gates have now been removed at 10 toll plazas.  I also strongly suspect that the detector equipment has been modified to eliminate the need for manual gate raises at the remaining gated lanes.
"It is necessary to spend a hundred lire now to save a thousand lire later."--Piero Puricelli, explaining the need for a first-class road system to Benito Mussolini

route56

And additional publicity from Northeast Kansas:

Lawrence Journal-World: "Eastbound high-speed toll lane opens Tuesday on Kansas Turnpike between Lawrence, Kansas City"

The eastbound ORT lanes had not yet opened this morning during my normal commute on the Turnpike.
Peace to you, and... don't drive like my brother.

R.P.K.

J N Winkler

Kansas Turnpike toll prices are going up on October 1

Part of the motivation for the increase is to widen the difference between K-Tag and cash rates to 25%.  Currently it is about 15%.  I interpret this as a sign that KTA is getting nearer to going full ETC, though even at 25% the disparity will be significantly less than on, say, the Illinois Tollway, where cash rates are double ETC rates.
"It is necessary to spend a hundred lire now to save a thousand lire later."--Piero Puricelli, explaining the need for a first-class road system to Benito Mussolini

davmillar

Late to the party, but last year when driving through on my way to Minnesota, the toll booth lady said my TxTag was interoperable with the system and I was able to drive on through without stopping on the way back down.

Also is it weird that I kind of want to live at a service plaza for a month? I think it would be interesting to build a tiny house on a trailer, post up at one of the rural service plazas, and hang out interviewing travelers and blog about it from the WiFi hotspot at the Hardee's.
Try out my puzzle game Interst8 at https://interst8.us

cl94

Quote from: Brandon on November 17, 2017, 12:00:36 PM
Quote from: J N Winkler on November 17, 2017, 11:09:57 AM
To turn this around:  is there any agency that actually uses the toll-taker symbol?

I've never seen one, and that includes Oklahoma, Kansas, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and New Hampshire.

NY and NY use it at barrier tolls and ONLY at barrier tolls. This does not include any of the bridge authorities. Of course, New York's 3 remaining barrier tolls are going away within the next couple years as part of an AET conversion.
Please note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of my employer or any of its partner agencies.

Travel Mapping (updated weekly)

route56

UPDATE! ORT lanes at East Topeka will open on Wednesday.

Quote from: Kansas Turnpike Authority
Big Changes Wednesday at East Topeka Toll Plaza.

Beginning November 7, K-TAG customers will be able to keep moving through the East Topeka Toll Plaza and I-70 travel will become non-stop. The newly reconstructed plaza will transition to an open road method of toll collection late Wednesday morning, weather permitting, when two highway speed electronic lanes on westbound I-70/KTA open. A second highway speed electronic lane for eastbound I-70/KTA drivers will open November 9-13. Tomorrow morning, we’ll be sharing this information with local media.

What should you expect?

  • As a K-TAG user, instead of slowing down to 20 mph, you will continue to travel at posted highway speeds through the toll area, while cash travelers will exit right to pay their toll.
  • The speed limit on the highway speed lanes will be 65 mph due to the westbound I-70 speed limit toward Topeka. Please follow posted speed limits through the area.
  • K-4 customers using K-TAG will use the dedicated electronic lane in the cash tolling area when entering or exiting the Turnpike.
  • Extra crews will be in the area on Tuesday and Wednesday. Travelers should pay close attention through the tolling area during this transition period.

    Keeping your K-TAG in good standing and adding your license plate information will help prevent a violation statement in case your K-TAG doesn’t read. You can manage your account online.

    We’re excited for this milestone and look forward to completing our next open road tolling project at Southern Terminal in fall 2019. Learn more about open road tolling at www.ksturnpike.com/openroad
Also, here's a few photos taken back on Labor Day.


58944 by Richie Kennedy, on Flickr


58946 by Richie Kennedy, on Flickr


58947 by Richie Kennedy, on Flickr
Peace to you, and... don't drive like my brother.

R.P.K.

route56

I went through the new ORT lanes at East Topeka on Sunday, and I noticed that the sign that was laid out in the CAD plans like this (from Johnathan):



Turned out like this in the field:

Peace to you, and... don't drive like my brother.

R.P.K.

Bobby5280

Ugghhhaaaahhh! Bubble shields! My eyes! It's burns! It burns!
:D

Scott5114

Yeah, KDOT they ain't.

The Cash Vehicles Pay Toll sign in the background looks like it's lifted straight from an OTA standards book. That's got to be one of the only times an Oklahoma signage practice has been emulated by another state, much less Kansas...
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

route56

More photos:
There are two of the arrow-per-lane signs approaching the East Topeka exit. I just noticed that the first one omits "Wichita." (NSF those sensitive to bubble shields)



Also, because of the close proximity of the Oakland Expressway to the toll plaza, the ramps from westbound I-70 to the Oakland Expressway (eastbound US 40/K-4) and from the Oakland Expressway to eastbound I-70 are connected to the toll plaza ramps, leading to this message on westbound I-70



The K-4 shield uses the 20-petal sunflower rotated 18 degrees

Quote from: Scott5114 on December 25, 2018, 07:21:12 AM
The Cash Vehicles Pay Toll sign in the background looks like it's lifted straight from an OTA standards book.

Here's a closeup:


Note also that there is a KTAG lane in the Toll Plaza complex because of the ramps to/from the Oakland Expressway.
Peace to you, and... don't drive like my brother.

R.P.K.

Scott5114

Sure enough. Here's the OTA equivalent, for comparison:
https://www.google.com/maps/@35.7686805,-96.6233599,3a,15y,57.6h,96.64t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s8Crg3uodQgcATyCWnLESMg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Other than using a real arrow, putting a line break between PAY and TOLL, and cleaning up the margins, the KTA version is identical.
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

route56

I should also point out that the "OTA" style signs are also in use at other ORT installation at the Eastern Terminal Toll Plaza.
Peace to you, and... don't drive like my brother.

R.P.K.



Opinions expressed here on belong solely to the poster and do not represent or reflect the opinions or beliefs of AARoads, its creators and/or associates.