Atlantic City Expressway going Toll Free!

[jeffandnicole]

For one hour, anyway...

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/new_jersey/20140522_ap_3dfe158b50d34e09a087f18fe8e9ec19.html

[roadman]

This gimmick happens every so often on the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90), usually at either the Allston-Brighton tolls or the Weston tolls.  A local company will agree to pay everyone's tolls for a short period of time (usually one hour) that's during rush hour, but normally not the time period with the maximum amount of traffic the facility sees during rush hour.  In exchange, the company has the toll workers (at cash booths) hand out promotional flyers for the company's product, service, or events.

One of the recent sponsors of the "toll free" hour was Tanglewood - the concert venue in the Berkshires that normally presents only classical music.  Now, there's nothing wrong with classical music, but it seems to me to be an odd marketing strategy for them -  to hand out leaflets at a toll plaza.

[PHLBOS]

Once upon a time, before FastLane/EZ Pass came about; the tolls along the Mass Pike were waived during peak holiday travel periods.  The toll collectors would literally wave motorists approaching the booths to move along.

[SteveG1988]

Will they just funnel everyone through the ezpass express lanes?

[roadman]

Once upon a time, before FastLane/EZ Pass came about; the tolls along the Mass Pike were waived during peak holiday travel periods.  The toll collectors would literally wave motorists approaching the booths to move along.

IIRC, that was when Jim Kerasiotes was chairman of the Turnpike Authority.  Within a couple of weeks of him assuming office, he sent out a directive instructing all toll plaza supervisors to suspend collections and wave drivers through when traffic backed up from the plaza onto the Pike mainline, or from the plaza past pre-determined points on approach roadways.  While this scenario was most common during holiday weekends, I recall the policy being invoked on more than one ocassion that didn't involve a holiday.

[jeffandnicole]

Will they just funnel everyone through the ezpass express lanes?

Probably not, as funneling 4 lanes down to 2 lanes takes an enormous amount of signage, manpower, barricades, and would only congest traffic even further.  They'll probably do what roadman said...traffic would go thru their normal lanes.  Those in the cash lanes may get a promo flyer.

[Henry]

Perhaps this is in anticipation of the early arrivals for Memorial Day weekend?

[jeffandnicole]

Generally, "rush hour" will start about noontime on Friday, as people head to the shore early.

[SectorZ]

IIRC, that was when Jim Kerasiotes was chairman of the Turnpike Authority.  Within a couple of weeks of him assuming office, he sent out a directive instructing all toll plaza supervisors to suspend collections and wave drivers through when traffic backed up from the plaza onto the Pike mainline, or from the plaza past pre-determined points on approach roadways.  While this scenario was most common during holiday weekends, I recall the policy being invoked on more than one ocassion that didn't involve a holiday.

Traveling to CT in the late 90's a lot, mostly on Fridays, I'd get waved thru getting onto I-84 as that would tend to back up badly and sometimes spill onto I-90 W/B.