I-95/Penna Turnpike Interchange

[cpzilliacus]

Cash toll collection on the Pennsylvania Turnpike just west of the Delaware River ended last night.  Here are some photographs from 1 January and 2 January of the old toll barrier, the new ones, and the interchange construction project on Facebook.  You do not need a Facebook account to view them.

You mentioned the Billboards...I didn't like them for their "unclarity". If I didn't know this one toll plaza would be cashless already, the billboard wouldn't help in the least to tell me what's going on.

Excellent reasons.   Sorry, I had to get a jab in at PTC for its lousy interchanges, and my general dislike of roadside billboards.

Tollplazas...EZ Pass to the right, Cash to the left.  Never cared for it.  Faster traffic (thus, EZ Pass Traffic) should be on the left.  Not always feasible, but in the case of the mainline plaza shown, it should absolutely have been done that way.

The design of the plaza at Bensalem (or is it Bristol?) is consistent with the other mainline plaza on the East-West Mainline, at Warrendale (west end of the ticket system), as well as the one at Exit 1 on the New Jersey Turnpike and the one at Harriman on the New York State Thruway.

Bridge Painting - As you mentioned, PA (both PennDOT and the PA Turnpike) are well known for their lack of bridge painting.  Most other states and agencies will tell you that's the cheapest, easiest way to maintain a life of an overpass, by simply removing the rust and repainting them when needed, which is about every 25 years or so.  And it looks more attractive as well.

I was told years ago by an engineer with Maryland DOT's SHA that cleaning and (re)painting structural steel is one of the cheapest things that can be done to extend the life of that structural steel.  Added bonus - sometimes problems associated with the steel are discovered, such as the crack in a flange on one of the I-70 (fracture-critical) bridges over the Patapsco River gorge in Maryland (details (from 2014) here).

I also get the impression that the bridges that are owned and maintained by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission get more and better maintenance than those on PennDOT's network.  As you might have read in the comments, the bridge that carries I-95 (future I-295) over I-276 is owned and maintained by PennDOT, not PTC.

[cpzilliacus]

Tollplazas...EZ Pass to the right, Cash to the left.  Never cared for it.  Faster traffic (thus, EZ Pass Traffic) should be on the left.  Not always feasible, but in the case of the mainline plaza shown, it should absolutely have been done that way.

When there are no ORT lanes, people working in the booths have to cross up to the full length of the plaza, so they need the E-ZPass traffic to slow down so people don't get run over.  They probably want to keep consistency between all the plazas so people know where to expect the E-ZPass lanes.

Absolutely correct.  Much better, IMO, to have the fast-moving ORT lanes (or just no cash lanes) toward the middle of the plaza. 

[hbelkins]

Tollplazas...EZ Pass to the right, Cash to the left.  Never cared for it.  Faster traffic (thus, EZ Pass Traffic) should be on the left.  Not always feasible, but in the case of the mainline plaza shown, it should absolutely have been done that way.

When there are no ORT lanes, people working in the booths have to cross up to the full length of the plaza, so they need the E-ZPass traffic to slow down so people don't get run over.  They probably want to keep consistency between all the plazas so people know where to expect the E-ZPass lanes.

Absolutely correct.  Much better, IMO, to have the fast-moving ORT lanes (or just no cash lanes) toward the middle of the plaza.

Simple solution -- don't require people working in the booths the cross the road. Either build parking lots on both sides so employees can drive up to the side they're working on, or build a simple catwalk across the top of the toll booth structure.

[cl94]

Cash toll collection on the Pennsylvania Turnpike just west of the Delaware River ended last night.  Here are some photographs from 1 January and 2 January of the old toll barrier, the new ones, and the interchange construction project on Facebook.  You do not need a Facebook account to view them.

You mentioned the Billboards...I didn't like them for their "unclarity". If I didn't know this one toll plaza would be cashless already, the billboard wouldn't help in the least to tell me what's going on.

Excellent reasons.   Sorry, I had to get a jab in at PTC for its lousy interchanges, and my general dislike of roadside billboards.

Tollplazas...EZ Pass to the right, Cash to the left.  Never cared for it.  Faster traffic (thus, EZ Pass Traffic) should be on the left.  Not always feasible, but in the case of the mainline plaza shown, it should absolutely have been done that way.

The design of the plaza at Bensalem (or is it Bristol?) is consistent with the other mainline plaza on the East-West Mainline, at Warrendale (west end of the ticket system), as well as the one at Exit 1 on the New Jersey Turnpike and the one at Harriman on the New York State Thruway.

Bridge Painting - As you mentioned, PA (both PennDOT and the PA Turnpike) are well known for their lack of bridge painting.  Most other states and agencies will tell you that's the cheapest, easiest way to maintain a life of an overpass, by simply removing the rust and repainting them when needed, which is about every 25 years or so.  And it looks more attractive as well.

I was told years ago by an engineer with Maryland DOT's SHA that cleaning and (re)painting structural steel is one of the cheapest things that can be done to extend the life of that structural steel.  Added bonus - sometimes problems associated with the steel are discovered, such as the crack in a flange on one of the I-70 (fracture-critical) bridges over the Patapsco River gorge in Maryland (details (from 2014) here).

I also get the impression that the bridges that are owned and maintained by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission get more and better maintenance than those on PennDOT's network.  As you might have read in the comments, the bridge that carries I-95 (future I-295) over I-276 is owned and maintained by PennDOT, not PTC.

It does extend the life and it does, by nature, closely inspect the bridge. And if you haven't noticed, weathering steel hasn't been used nearly as much in the past couple years. NYSDOT and NYSTA have all but eliminated its use, at least in Buffalo. I was quite surprised to see painted steel on the newest projects.

As far as the toll plaza stuff goes, that is pretty standard. E-ZPass should be in the middle if there is a crossing. The main state that puts E-ZPass lanes on the outside and between cash lanes at plazas is Massachusetts, but that's going away with AET. New York puts them in the middle and on the outside on the side away from the building (to allow for higher-speed lanes), the latter taking precedence if space is limited.

Simple solution -- don't require people working in the booths the cross the road. Either build parking lots on both sides so employees can drive up to the side they're working on, or build a simple catwalk across the top of the toll booth structure.

Space is limited and AET is coming in soon enough that it wouldn't be worth the cost. I know most of NYSTA's busy plazas have land constraints, for example.

[jeffandnicole]

Tollplazas...EZ Pass to the right, Cash to the left.  Never cared for it.  Faster traffic (thus, EZ Pass Traffic) should be on the left.  Not always feasible, but in the case of the mainline plaza shown, it should absolutely have been done that way.

When there are no ORT lanes, people working in the booths have to cross up to the full length of the plaza, so they need the E-ZPass traffic to slow down so people don't get run over.  They probably want to keep consistency between all the plazas so people know where to expect the E-ZPass lanes.

Absolutely correct.  Much better, IMO, to have the fast-moving ORT lanes (or just no cash lanes) toward the middle of the plaza.

Simple solution -- don't require people working in the booths the cross the road. Either build parking lots on both sides so employees can drive up to the side they're working on, or build a simple catwalk across the top of the toll booth structure.

And they do what with the money if they only build a parking lot?

And how is such a catwalk structure built? Do you place it directly above the toll plaza, needing to cut thru the existing roof? How do you for the staircase into the narrow booth islands?

When the NJ Turnpike rebuilt Interchange 1, it needed to be handicap accessible. That means elevators and a few wide toll booths should someone in a wheelchair be employed as a toll employee.

Anytime someone says something should be simple...it never is.

[odditude]

Will PennDOT widen I-95 from the 413 connector to this interchange if it ever gets built?  If I remember correctly it narrows to four lanes from there into NJ coming from Philly.  I would think with the extra traffic that the 95 designation would bring would warrant PennDOT to at least widen that part anyway.

At first, the maps didn't show any widening...2 lanes per direction on the mainline, then a 1 lane ramp that expanded to 2 lanes.  More recently though, I thought I saw something that showed I-95 will be 3 lanes each direction from 413 to the PA Turnpike.  Hopefully that will occur.

such widening of I-95 between exit 40 and the new interchange is both on the plans and actually in-progress. the plans are on the project website; the progress is noted by my daily commute through the construction zone.

[Flyer78]

Tollplazas...EZ Pass to the right, Cash to the left.  Never cared for it.  Faster traffic (thus, EZ Pass Traffic) should be on the left.  Not always feasible, but in the case of the mainline plaza shown, it should absolutely have been done that way.

They used the same setup on the NE Extension. In talking with a friend about it, he surmised this was mainly for traffic calming, and reduced the chance of a slow-moving vehicle "cutting" off a higher-speed E-Z Pass driver.

Many of the (newer) PA toll plazas have underpasses for toll-collectors at least to some lanes.

Bridge Painting - As you mentioned, PA (both PennDOT and the PA Turnpike) are well known for their lack of bridge painting.  Most other states and agencies will tell you that's the cheapest, easiest way to maintain a life of an overpass, by simply removing the rust and repainting them when needed, which is about every 25 years or so.  And it looks more attractive as well.

On the Turnpike side, at least, it seems like the 95 overpasses may have been left for this project to take care of them. As part of the (PennDOT) widening of 202, there were entries made about bridge painting on their website, and indicated it was "cheaper" from a traffic control perspective to build it into other construction projects. And the way they slide in PA lately, this results in exactly what you are talking about... a missed opportunity to do "simple" work to extend the life of infrastructure.

[cpzilliacus]

Simple solution -- don't require people working in the booths the cross the road. Either build parking lots on both sides so employees can drive up to the side they're working on, or build a simple catwalk across the top of the toll booth structure.

Toll road collection facilities that accept cash that I have visited as part of my job at various places in Maryland and Virginia have tunnels under the wide ones (that span the entire road) for access. 

The one across I-95 at the Fort McHenry Tunnel is massively wide, as is the one on Va. 267 at Tysons Corner (east of Va. 7), where the tunnel has to run under the "free" Dulles Access Road lanes as well. 

The rebuilt New Jersey Turnpike Exit 1 barrier put the walkways above the toll booths, which is also fine.

[akotchi]

Cash toll collection on the Pennsylvania Turnpike just west of the Delaware River ended last night.  Here are some photographs from 1 January and 2 January of the old toll barrier, the new ones, and the interchange construction project on Facebook.  You do not need a Facebook account to view them.

I drove the eastbound mainline last night between Ft. Washington and Delaware Valley, not crossing the bridge.  Looks like only two mainline lanes approach the new plaza split, and the signing for that split is only one mile in advance (east of the Bensalem exit ramp).  Appears to be some sign clutter, with all the signs for Exit 351 (with its Exit Only), Exit 352 (with its Exit Only feeding from the previous entrance ramp) and the mainline plaza split.  Is any widening supposed to be done to this approach, i.e. 3 through lanes?  Would require bridge work at Exit 351, which I do not think is part of this project.  "Pay Toll" sign approaching former bridge plaza has been removed from gantry at Exit 358.

The tolls have also been lifted at Exit 358.  One lane open through the plaza (other lanes coned off) with sheets over the toll gantry signs saying "KEEP MOVING" and a warning sign in advance saying something on the order of TOLL PLAZA CLOSED.  I saw on a previous trip through that there is construction of a new eastbound exit ramp -- probably because of existing ramp curve/speed and sight distance at the bottom with the WB ramp.  I presume demo of the existing plazas is a next step.

I know pictures would help, but I could not get any.  Pitch black when I passed through, and the rest of the family was asleep . . .

Finally some tangible progress on this stuff . . .

[jeffandnicole]

Cash toll collection on the Pennsylvania Turnpike just west of the Delaware River ended last night.  Here are some photographs from 1 January and 2 January of the old toll barrier, the new ones, and the interchange construction project on Facebook.  You do not need a Facebook account to view them.

I know you mentioned somewhere about the NJ Turnpike's Neon VMS sign on the PA Turnpike just west of the extension bridge, which probably is the sole remaining neon sign for the NJ Turnpike.

In the minutes to the 9/29/15 meeting, on PDF page 8 (Page 7 of the document), it mentions the NJ Turnpike will reimburse the PA Turnpike for costs in relation to constructing a new VMS/VSLS sign in this same location, which will include removing that old neon sign. http://www.state.nj.us/turnpike/documents/2015-09-29-BM-Minutes-AIN-368-thru-408.pdf

Most likely there's something similar for that fixed US 13, 3 Mile ahead sign, as well as the PA Turnpike VMS sign located on the NJ Turnpike's side of the bridge, although I couldn't find anything after some searching.

[NJRoadfan]

Those minutes are always a hoot to read. Wonder what arrows Mr. Bodin was talking about?

[davewiecking]

Those minutes are always a hoot to read...

Agreed, from the few pages I just enjoyed. I'm sorry to have missed the apparently numerous appearances of Mr. Robert Filipczak (exit 43 GSP), and wish him luck as he turns his attention to his newly patented fire extinguisher.

[Alps]

Cash toll collection on the Pennsylvania Turnpike just west of the Delaware River ended last night.  Here are some photographs from 1 January and 2 January of the old toll barrier, the new ones, and the interchange construction project on Facebook.  You do not need a Facebook account to view them.

Tollplazas...EZ Pass to the right, Cash to the left.  Never cared for it.  Faster traffic (thus, EZ Pass Traffic) should be on the left.  Not always feasible, but in the case of the mainline plaza shown, it should absolutely have been done that way.

Agreed. From a traffic perspective I'm horrified by fast traffic on the right.

[hbelkins]

And they do what with the money if they only build a parking lot?

If you mean, what do the employees do with the money they've collected on their shift, they total it and take it to the bank to deposit it, just like the employee who closes at a retail outlet does.

And how is such a catwalk structure built? Do you place it directly above the toll plaza, needing to cut thru the existing roof? How do you for the staircase into the narrow booth islands?

Build it above the toll plaza and have the steps descend onto the island on the downstream side of traffic flow. I'm not a structural engineer but it shouldn't be too hard to design something that would work.

When the NJ Turnpike rebuilt Interchange 1, it needed to be handicap accessible. That means elevators and a few wide toll booths should someone in a wheelchair be employed as a toll employee.

If there is such an employee, assign them to the booth nearest where they park so climbing steps is not necessary, or to an office job. The law requires "reasonable accommodations." Spending thousands of dollars to accommodate one employee hardly strikes me as "reasonable." And believe me, I'm sensitive to such things since my dad was an amputee who had difficulty climbing stairs with his artificial leg.

Anytime someone says something should be simple...it never is.

Sure it is. People always make things much more complicated than they need to be.

[jeffandnicole]

And they do what with the money if they only build a parking lot?

If you mean, what do the employees do with the money they've collected on their shift, they total it and take it to the bank to deposit it, just like the employee who closes at a retail outlet does.

I don't know of any retail outlets that permit a low-level employee to take a bag full of money, which at a toll plaza where the toll can average over $10 per car and thus during an 8 hour shift can easily be thousands of dollars, and take that money in their own personal car to a bank.  Every store I'm familiar with will have them or a manager take the cash drawer to an office for the money to be counted and deposited.  The risk of theft is way too great, both by an employee and by anyone waiting for that employee to walk to their vehicle.  Many businesses employ a armored car service to pick up the money from the drop safe, which is how most multi-million dollar toll agencies work.  A Turnpike isn't a mom-and-pop hardware store.

Don't forget other paperwork for cars without money.  Toll runners.  Various notes the employee had to write up or document. 

Oh, and the employee may need to use the restroom.  And wash their hands.

And a locker room.

The employee gets a few breaks also.

They need a place to eat.

No reasonable place of business will tell you: Go into the parking lot and do all of this in your car.

Assuming the employee has a car. 

And how is such a catwalk structure built? Do you place it directly above the toll plaza, needing to cut thru the existing roof? How do you for the staircase into the narrow booth islands?

Build it above the toll plaza and have the steps descend onto the island on the downstream side of traffic flow. I'm not a structural engineer but it shouldn't be too hard to design something that would work.

A simple pedestrian overpass over a 6 lane roadway starts at about $3 million.  And that's just one set of stairs on either side.  You can't just build a 'catwalk' like it's over a theatre stage.

When the NJ Turnpike rebuilt Interchange 1, it needed to be handicap accessible. That means elevators and a few wide toll booths should someone in a wheelchair be employed as a toll employee.

If there is such an employee, assign them to the booth nearest where they park so climbing steps is not necessary, or to an office job. The law requires "reasonable accommodations." Spending thousands of dollars to accommodate one employee hardly strikes me as "reasonable." And believe me, I'm sensitive to such things since my dad was an amputee who had difficulty climbing stairs with his artificial leg.

You have absolutely no clue about what things cost, do you?  A simple handicap ramp to allow someone in their own home can cost a few thousand dollars.  Every multi-story building must have elevator access and non-restrictive access to all parts of the building.  Spending thousands of dollars?  Most business spend tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars to make sure the building is entirely handicap accessible.

The nearest side where they could park would still be on the right side of the toll lane.  The toll booth would be on the left side.  So at the absolute very minimum you would need curb cuts and ramps to get from one side to the other. 

And...look above at all the other things an employee would expect to have at a place of business.

Anytime someone says something should be simple...it never is.

Sure it is. People always make things much more complicated than they need to be.

[/quote]

Damn lawyers.  And ADA requirements.

Your thought process of how a toll agency works is so out of whack it's ludicrous. 

[vdeane]

If they added an employee who needed accessibility they would likely do what's needed and not much else.  However, thanks to agencies and municipalities completely ignoring the ADA law in the 90s and 00s, it is now required that ADA elements be upgraded if so much as touched by anything more than the most minor maintenance (ex: a pavement resurfacing contract now requires replacement of all deficient curb ramps in the project limits, regardless of whether the pavement and ramps are owned/maintained by the same organization or not).

[noelbotevera]

When having to resurface pavement near a toll booth, just replace the pavement! We don't have to rebuild a ramp, we just have to replace a couple feet of concrete, people!

[Alps]

When having to resurface pavement near a toll booth, just replace the pavement! We don't have to rebuild a ramp, we just have to replace a couple feet of concrete, people!

Please familiarize yourself with ADA requirements before posting to this thread.

[cl94]

Going back to depositing cash, my dad would sometimes deposit cash when he worked for a regional bookstore chain...as a manager and district manager - and that was typically to a bank in the same mall/plaza. The typical employee won't be depositing cash. Maybe a supervisor, but the larger stores have armored cars, anyway.

[vdeane]

When having to resurface pavement near a toll booth, just replace the pavement! We don't have to rebuild a ramp, we just have to replace a couple feet of concrete, people!

Please familiarize yourself with ADA requirements before posting to this thread.

I think he was talking about the exit ramp, not a wheelchair or sidewalk ramp.

[roadman65]

FDOT is very strict with money.  The drop must be done in the presence of the supervisor in a room where you MUST face the camera, empty the bag and even show to the camera its empty, walk with the bag IN FRONT OF YOU AT ALL TIMES, have the supervisor count the money first where you verify his totals, then you count it yourself and the supervisor verifies your total, then you compare numbers for accuracy, make out slips, and then you and your supervisor jointly unlock the drop chute with both of your IDs simultaneously before you are done.


FDOT considers a locked bag a risk.  However, no big paperwork for those who do not have toll money, we just hand them the state's business card and log it in our clipboard paper and that is it.  No reports at all for us at least.

Nobody with a wheelchair can be employed as a toll collector because we cannot even sit down if there is a steady line of cars, or for eighteen wheelers you must STAND.  FDOT can make your life hell if you do not, so therefore FDOT will not allow wheelchair hirees!

As far as parking lots on the near side, let me tell you about the Exit 249 plazas in Kissimmee on Florida's Turnpike.  The main lot and money counting building is on the SB off ramp. If you, lets say, live near the interchange off of Osceola Parkway, you just cannot get to the building from the street as the parking area must only be accessed by the Turnpike south.  Remember the ramp is one way off and even walking in from the street is not allowed and if caught its a 300 dollar fine even for 400 feet of walking!  So you live within walking distance of the Exit 249 plazas, you must go north on the Turnpike and U turn at FL 417 via its own ramps at Landstar Boulevard and double back.

Employees on the NB on ramp must sign out FDOT company cars to drive across to the other side as the NB ramp has no building!  The lunch room is inside Lane 4 for those working Lanes 4 and 6.  There is a table outside hidden behind the booth at Lane 4 for eating outside.  Also no personal items allowed in the booth. All items are to be locked inside a locker as even money inside your wallet could be considered stolen from the toll revenues!  That is right, only your bank and what you collect are the only money you are to have on your person in plain sight.  If the camera catches you reaching into your own pocket and pulling out bills that are yours, you could be considered stealing even though its yours from the beginning!

Toll employees do not have it easy to park and work while employed at FDOT.

[jeffandnicole]

FDOT is very strict with money.  The drop must be done in the presence of the supervisor in a room where you MUST face the camera, empty the bag and even show to the camera its empty, walk with the bag IN FRONT OF YOU AT ALL TIMES, have the supervisor count the money first where you verify his totals, then you count it yourself and the supervisor verifies your total, then you compare numbers for accuracy, make out slips, and then you and your supervisor jointly unlock the drop chute with both of your IDs simultaneously before you are done.


FDOT considers a locked bag a risk.  However, no big paperwork for those who do not have toll money, we just hand them the state's business card and log it in our clipboard paper and that is it.  No reports at all for us at least.

Nobody with a wheelchair can be employed as a toll collector because we cannot even sit down if there is a steady line of cars, or for eighteen wheelers you must STAND.  FDOT can make your life hell if you do not, so therefore FDOT will not allow wheelchair hirees!

As far as parking lots on the near side, let me tell you about the Exit 249 plazas in Kissimmee on Florida's Turnpike.  The main lot and money counting building is on the SB off ramp. If you, lets say, live near the interchange off of Osceola Parkway, you just cannot get to the building from the street as the parking area must only be accessed by the Turnpike south.  Remember the ramp is one way off and even walking in from the street is not allowed and if caught its a 300 dollar fine even for 400 feet of walking!  So you live within walking distance of the Exit 249 plazas, you must go north on the Turnpike and U turn at FL 417 via its own ramps at Landstar Boulevard and double back.

Employees on the NB on ramp must sign out FDOT company cars to drive across to the other side as the NB ramp has no building!  The lunch room is inside Lane 4 for those working Lanes 4 and 6.  There is a table outside hidden behind the booth at Lane 4 for eating outside.  Also no personal items allowed in the booth. All items are to be locked inside a locker as even money inside your wallet could be considered stolen from the toll revenues!  That is right, only your bank and what you collect are the only money you are to have on your person in plain sight.  If the camera catches you reaching into your own pocket and pulling out bills that are yours, you could be considered stealing even though its yours from the beginning!

Toll employees do not have it easy to park and work while employed at FDOT.

That's much more strict than my days at the NJ Turnpike! So does that mean you can't bring a TV, Radio, Cell Phone or anything else?  What does everyone do when traffic's light? 

[roadman65]

To Answer your question Jeff: Nothing.  The other day I was at Exit 244 and worked graveyard and it was so boring from 2 AM till about 5 AM and mainly watched the trucks speed by in the non tolled lane for Miami as that has not toll being part of the ticket system.  The mainline at Three Lakes south of St. Cloud is just to the south of there, so trucks just whizzed on by heading for South Florida.

At some moments I could see commercial jets fly above as they make their final approach to OIA.  Other than that we have to sit there or stand there waiting for a motorist to come by and use my lane.  It sucks you cannot even bring a book, but big brother watches on camera what you do, and yes Tallahassee watches at times to make sure we do not steal and are following FDOT procedures.  Here in FL the Turnpike is the eighth district of FDOT unlike other states with an agency not connected to the DOT like NJ has with both the NJTA and the SJTA to handle its three toll roads which may be why the scrutiny here.

[vdeane]

In that case, FDOT's procedures are completely obscene.  It should't be legal for employers to regulate anything that doesn't affect an employee's ability to do their jobs (or others ability to do their jobs), including reading a book or smartphone when traffic is light.  And the money thing sounds like they're just too lazy to devise a way of matching how much money was collected with respect to how much they're owed.  And who cares how much you stand as long as you can collect the money and make change properly?  And why can't they put a wheelchair lift in the booth if the wheelchair can't get high enough?  And don't get me started on the walking ban... if I lived in walking distance and worked there, I would sue FDOT for every penny of the per-mile reimbursement rate!  And REQUIRING a company car... could be inefficiency galore for some people.  Sounds like some bureaucrat has a stick up his rear and is on a power trip.  Disgusting.

[jeffandnicole]

In that case, FDOT's procedures are completely obscene.  It should't be legal for employers to regulate anything that doesn't affect an employee's ability to do their jobs (or others ability to do their jobs), including reading a book or smartphone when traffic is light.  And the money thing sounds like they're just too lazy to devise a way of matching how much money was collected with respect to how much they're owed.  And who cares how much you stand as long as you can collect the money and make change properly?  And why can't they put a wheelchair lift in the booth if the wheelchair can't get high enough?  And don't get me started on the walking ban... if I lived in walking distance and worked there, I would sue FDOT for every penny of the per-mile reimbursement rate!  And REQUIRING a company car... could be inefficiency galore for some people.  Sounds like some bureaucrat has a stick up his rear and is on a power trip.  Disgusting.

Yeah, that's just over the top.  Maybe a little overzealous on the countout procedures, but probably nothing too great there.  But to require you to sit in a 3'x6' booth without anything?  Insane. 

In my toll days many years ago, they were just introducing cameras to some of the toll plazas, and none in the booths themselves.  Some of the cameras could probably see something within the book, but they couldn't see very much.  Heck, at night most of us would keep our booth lights off because the surrounding light was good enough.  TVs, radios and reading material were all acceptable.  Phones were too, although at the time the technology limited us to texting and talking on the phone.  And granted, while network TV between about 1am and 6am isn't the best (Sunday mornings from about 4am to 7am were the absolute worst), at least it was *something*.

(BTW, something I learned:  Even though the toll lane has a green light, for some motorists if the booth itself was dark, they weren't sure if it was open.  You would see a drive sometimes stop and move over to a lane which happened to have their booth light on, which was usually a newbie.  In all cases, the lane lights were always on, which was enough light for most toll takers.)

Another little fun factoid of the NJ Turnpike: If you take a close look at the NJ Turnpike plazas, the plaza building where the supervisor sits is situated in such a way where the supervisor can see the traffic at the exit lanes.  They were never terribly concerned about the supervisor seeing the entry lanes.