E-ZPass
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File:EZPass logo.svg | |
Founded | 1987 |
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Area served | |
Products | |
Website | e-zpassiag |
E‑ZPass is an electronic toll collection system used on most tolled roads, bridges, and tunnels in the Midwestern and Eastern United States, as far south as Florida and as far west as Illinois. The E-ZPass Interagency Group (IAG) consists of 39 member agencies in operation within 17 states, which use the same technology and allow travelers to use the same transponder on toll roads throughout the network. Since its creation in 1987, various independent systems that use the same technology have been folded into the E-ZPass system, including the I-Pass in Illinois and the NC Quick Pass in North Carolina. Negotiations are ongoing for nationwide interoperability in the United States (see List of electronic toll collection systems § United States).
Functionality
Technology
E‑ZPass tags are active[2] RFID transponders, made exclusively by Kapsch TrafficCom (formerly Mark IV Industries Corp—IVHS Division). They communicate with reader equipment built into lane-based or open-road toll collection lanes by transmitting a unique radio signature. The most common type of tag is an internal tag that can be mounted on the inside of the vehicle's windshield in proximity to the rear-view mirror. Though toll agencies advise adherence to the windshield with mounting strips (usually 3M's Scotch brand "Dual Lock" fasteners), third-party options using trays with suction cups to adhere a pass to a windshield temporarily if used in multiple vehicles are available. Some vehicles have windshields that block RF signals; for those vehicles, historical vehicles, and customers who have aesthetic concerns, an external tag is offered, typically designed to attach to the vehicle's front license plate mounting points.[3]
Although a tag can be used with a motorcycle, there are usually no official instructions given for mounting due to the numerous variations between bike designs and the small area of a motorcycle windshield which could prove a hindrance if the transponder is attached following automobile instructions. Transponders may be put in a shirt or jacket pocket, if necessary.[4]
Most E‑ZPass lanes are converted manual toll lanes and must have fairly low speed limits for safety reasons (between 5 and 15 miles per hour (8 and 24 km/h) is typical), so that E‑ZPass vehicles can merge safely with vehicles that stopped to pay a cash toll and, in some cases, to allow toll workers to safely cross the E‑ZPass lanes to reach booths accepting cash payments. In some areas, however (typically recently built or retrofitted facilities), there is no need to slow down, because E‑ZPass users can utilize dedicated traffic lanes ("Express E‑ZPass" or "open road tolling") that are physically separate from the toll-booth lanes. Examples include:
- Delaware Route 1,
- Hampton toll plaza on I‑95 in New Hampshire
- Hooksett toll plaza on I‑93 in New Hampshire
- Interstate 78 Toll Bridge
- Newark Toll Plaza on the Delaware Turnpike[5]
- Pocahontas Parkway in Virginia
- Atlantic City Expressway
- Three locations on the New Jersey Turnpike (near the Delaware Memorial Bridge (Exit 1), near Exit 18W, and the Pennsylvania Extension, which connects to the Pennsylvania Turnpike (Exit 6))
- Garden State Parkway
- Pennsylvania Turnpike's Gateway, Warrendale, Neshaminy Falls and Mid-County (I‑476) toll plazas
- New sections of the Mon–Fayette Expressway
- New York State Thruway at the Woodbury toll barrier
- Illinois Tollway system
Other roads in the E-ZPass system have eschewed toll booths altogether, and switched to all-electronic tolling. As vehicles pass at normal speed under toll collection gantries, tolls are collected either through the E-ZPass transponder or by billing the owner of the vehicle via automatic number-plate recognition. Examples include:
- New York State Thruway from the New York City line to Harriman, New York
- Maryland Route 200
- U.S. Route 301 in Delaware
- Massachusetts Turnpike
Each E-ZPass tag is specifically programmed for a particular class of vehicle; while any valid working tag will be read and accepted in any E‑ZPass toll lane, the wrong toll amount will be charged if the tag's programmed vehicle class does not match the vehicle. This will result in a violation and possible large fine assessed to the tag holder, especially if a lower-class (e.g., passenger car) tag is being used in a higher-class vehicle such as a bus or truck. In an attempt to avoid this, E‑ZPass tags for commercial vehicles are blue in color, contrasting with the white tags assigned to standard passenger vehicles. The blue E‑ZPass is also used in government employee vehicles. In New York, an orange E‑ZPass tag is issued to emergency vehicles as well as to employees of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and New York State Thruway Authority.
For purposes of interoperability, all agencies are connected to each other by a secure network (the "reciprocity network"). This network provides the means to exchange tag data and process toll transactions across the various agencies. Tag data is exchanged among the agencies on a nightly basis. This data can take up to 24 hours on the primary network the unit is issued by (e.g., the New York State Thruway or Illinois Tollway system), but may be delayed by as much as 72 hours on other networks.[6][7]
Technology details
The E‑ZPass transponder works by listening for a signal broadcast by the reader stationed at the toll booth. This 915 MHz signal is sent at 500 kbit/s using the TDM (formerly IAG) protocol in 256‑bit packets. Transponders use active Type II read/write technology. In April 2013, Kapsch (purchasers of Mark IV Industries) made the protocol available to all interested parties royalty-free in perpetuity and is granting the right to sublicense the protocol.[8]
Retail availability
Some issuing agencies offer a packaged E‑ZPass transponder preloaded with toll funds sold over-the-counter at a retail setting (such as a supermarket or pharmacy service desk) that is valid immediately.[9][10] A portion of the balance is available instantly; customers can access the remaining balance when they register their transponders with the issuing E‑ZPass agency within several days of first using their E-ZPass.
Usage
According to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, 83.4% of vehicles crossing its six bridges and tunnels used E-ZPass for toll payment during all of 2016.[11]
History
The notion of electronic tolling had been considered as early as the early 1990s in the New York metropolitan area. The tolling agencies of New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania—which constitute two-thirds of the United States' $3 billion-a-year toll industry—sought to create a compatible electronic-tolling technology that could be used on the toll roads and bridges of the three states, in an effort to reduce congestion on some of the busiest roadways and toll plazas in the United States. In 1991, the Interagency Committee was created to develop an interoperable system, and involved the participation and cooperation of seven independent toll agencies—the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, the New Jersey Highway Authority (which, at the time, operated the Garden State Parkway), the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority (legally MTA Bridges and Tunnels), the New York State Thruway Authority, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, and the South Jersey Transportation Authority (operator of the Atlantic City Expressway).[12] The E‑ZPass trademark, however, belongs to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.[13] The Port Authority has been aggressive at protecting its trademark, including forcing the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority to rename the "EZ Pass" regional transit pass to "EZ transit pass" to protect its rights.[14]
The seven agencies started making plans to test two possible technologies for E-ZPass in 1992. The technologies would be installed along the Garden State Parkway and the New York State Thruway.[15] E‑ZPass was first deployed on the Thruway at the Spring Valley toll plaza on August 3, 1993. Over the following three and a half years, the New York State Thruway Authority (NYSTA) installed electronic toll-collection equipment, in stages, along the Thruway. By February 6, 1997, E‑ZPass had been installed along the entire length of the corridor.
The Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, which maintains all toll bridges and tunnels that begin and end in New York City, is the largest tolling agency by revenue in the United States ($1.9 billion in 2017). It began its E-ZPass implementation in 1995 and completed it at all nine of its toll facilities by January 1997.[16] E-ZPass was popular among motorists who frequently used TBTA crossings, and by August 1996, nearly 2,000 motorists per day were signing up for E-ZPass.[17] The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates all bridges and tunnels between New York City and New Jersey, implemented E-ZPass at the George Washington Bridge in July 1997,[18] and at the Holland Tunnel and Lincoln Tunnel in October 1997.[19]
The Pennsylvania Turnpike had planned to adopt E-ZPass by 1998;[20][21] however, implementation of the system was postponed until December 2, 2000,[22] when E-ZPass debuted on the turnpike between Harrisburg West and the Delaware River Bridge.[23] By December 15, 2001, E-ZPass could be used on the entire length of the mainline Pennsylvania Turnpike.[24][25] Commercial vehicles were allowed to use the system beginning on December 14, 2002,[26] and the entire Turnpike system was taking E-ZPass by 2006.[27]
On October 6, 1998, a U.S. patent for an "automated toll collection system" was issued to Fred Slavin and Randy J. Schafer.[28]
Meanwhile, various other agencies began work on similar electronic toll collecting facilities. This resulted in the emergence of other networks:
- The MassPass system used in Massachusetts, changed to the compatible Fast Lane in 1998 and rebranded E‑ZPass in 2012
- The I-Pass system used in Illinois
- The I-Zoom system used in Indiana, rebranded E‑ZPass in 2012
- The Smart Tag system used in Virginia, merged with E-ZPass in 2004[29]
- The TransPass system used in Maine, since replaced by the E‑ZPass system
- The M‑Tag system used in Maryland, integrated into and rebranded E‑ZPass in 2001
- The Quick Pass system used in North Carolina, partially integrated in 2013[30] and integrated into Florida's SunPass system
- The E-Pass system in Florida, partially integrated in 2018[31]
Originally, these systems were not interchangeable with E‑ZPass. However, since most of them use the same technology (or have since converted over to a compatible technology), all of them have been incorporated into the E‑ZPass network. Though several still retain their own brand name for their own facilities, users of those systems can use E‑ZPass and vice versa. As a result, all E-ZPass holders can use their transponders in any of the states that offer it.
The E‑ZPass system continues to expand. The Indiana Toll Road Concession Company has upgraded its toll plazas to include E‑ZPass functionality on the Indiana East–West Toll Road, while the Ohio Turnpike Commission has upgraded its toll plazas in October 2009 for the Ohio Turnpike (I‑76, I‑80, I‑90). [32] On December 16, 2008, Rhode Island joined the network by activating E‑ZPass lanes in the state's only toll booth, at the Claiborne Pell Newport Bridge.[33] The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, which had a toll road system predating the E-ZPass system which was ended in 2006, announced at the end of July 2015 its entrance into the E-ZPass system as part of the financing for the Louisville-area Ohio River Bridges Project involving the new Abraham Lincoln (paired with the retrofitted Kennedy) and Lewis and Clark bridges.[34] On November 9, 2017, the Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX) announced that it was joining the E-ZPass group. CFX began accepting E-ZPass along its toll roads on September 1, 2018.[35][36]
E‑ZPass ETC transponders do not work on all toll roads in the United States. Currently, the E-ZPass electronic toll-collection system (as well as the other ETC systems that are part of the E‑ZPass network) are not compatible with most Florida systems (including SunPass), California's FasTrak, Kansas's K‑Tag, Oklahoma's Pikepass, Texas's TxTag, Utah's Express Pass, Puerto Rico's AutoExpreso, Georgia's Peach Pass and Cruise Card, or other ETC systems outside of E‑ZPass operating regions. Under MAP-21, passed in 2012, all ETC facilities in the United States were supposed to have some form of interoperability by October 1, 2016; however, no funding was provided for this effort, nor were penalties established for failure to meet this deadline, and as of September 2018[update] this has yet to be accomplished.[37]
In 2009 an organization called the Alliance for Toll Interoperability[38] stated that it was exploring the option of using high-speed cameras to take photographs of the cars passing through non-E‑ZPass lanes in other states.[39] The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, which has been studying going towards all-electronic tolling in order to cut costs, plans to implement such a system for non-E-ZPass users.[40]
E-ZPass in Canada
In general, E-ZPass is not accepted in Canada but several exceptions exist.
Until 2005, drivers crossing the Peace Bridge between Fort Erie, Ontario, and Buffalo, New York, paid a toll before crossing to Canada. Following upgrades to the border crossings in 2005, drivers instead pay a toll on the Canadian side of the Peace Bridge after clearing Canadian customs. This is the first E‑ZPass toll gantry outside of the United States. The toll goes to the Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority, a bi-national agency responsible for maintaining the international bridge.
On August 11, 2014, E-ZPass began to be accepted at the Lewiston–Queenston Bridge, Rainbow Bridge, and Whirlpool Rapids Bridge.[41] The toll for the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge is paid in Canada after clearing Canadian customs, whereas the toll is paid before leaving the United States at the other two bridges. The toll from these three bridges goes to the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission.
Variants
E-ZPass Plus
For E-ZPass subscribers who replenish their accounts with a major credit card, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey offers an E-ZPass option to pay for parking at three Port Authority airports—John F. Kennedy, LaGuardia, and Newark Liberty—through a program known as E-ZPass Plus.[42] This program is also available in New York at Albany International Airport in Albany; Syracuse Hancock International Airport in Syracuse; and the parking lots at the New York State Fair when the fair is in progress; as well as in Atlantic City, New Jersey, at Atlantic City International Airport, the New York Avenue Parking Garage, and the Atlantic City Surface Lot.
The parking payment is debited from the prepaid E‑ZPass account if the parking fee is less than $20. If it is $20 or more, the amount is charged directly to the credit card used to replenish the E‑ZPass account.[42] The Port Authority reports that drivers save an average of 15 seconds by opting to pay for airport parking using E‑ZPass.[citation needed]
Subscribers who replenish their E‑ZPass accounts with cash or check cannot participate in this program. Additionally, as of 2013[update], this service is only available to customers of the DelDOT, Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission, Delaware River and Bay Authority, in Delaware; of the New Hampshire DOT; in Maryland; in New Jersey[43] and New York to customers of the PANYNJ, the New York MTA, or the NYS Thruway; and to customers of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission.[44]
E-ZPass Flex
In late 2012, the I‑495 HOT (high occupancy toll) lanes in Virginia started to support E‑ZPass Flex transponders.[45] These work similarly to regular transponders, but let the driver switch between HOV and toll-paying modes. When a transponder is switched to HOV mode (with three or more passengers in the vehicle), it is read by the HOT lane's toll equipment but no toll is charged. E-ZPass Flex also works like a standard E-ZPass on all other toll roads where E-ZPass is accepted, regardless of the position of the switch.[46]
In 2018, the reversible HOV lanes of I-64 in Norfolk were converted to variable-toll HOT Express Lanes. The system works similarly to the HOT lanes on I-495 except the toll is a flat rate set based on traffic, the toll is only enforced during rush-hour periods, and the minimum occupancy for toll exemption is two instead of three. The same E-ZPass Flex devices are used to enforce this system.
E-PASS Xtra
The Central Florida Expressway Authority offers E-PASS Xtra which is compatible with E-ZPass as well as E-PASS, SunPass, LeeWay, PeachPass, NC QuickPass, RiverLink, I-PASS and FastPass toll systems. It works on E-ZPass toll roads as well as all toll roads in Florida and Georgia.[47]
Effects
Reduced pollution and health improvement
A study published in the American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, "Traffic Congestion and Infant Health: Evidence from E-ZPass", compared fetal health outcomes for mothers living near congested and uncongested toll plazas on three major highways in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The researchers focused on areas where toll plazas had instituted E-ZPass, which, because cars travel through more efficiently, diminishes congestion and pollution. The study drew its conclusions by looking at the health outcomes of nearly 30,000 births among mothers who lived within two kilometers of an E-ZPass toll plaza. The researchers state that their findings "suggest that the adoption of E-ZPass was associated with significant improvements of infant health." The study's specific findings were: 1) In areas where E-ZPass was adopted, rates of infant prematurity decreased by between 6.7% and 9.1%; this means that, out of the sample studied, 255 preterm births were likely avoided; 2) Introduction of E-ZPass was correlated with a reduction in the incidence of low birth weight by between 8.5% and 11.3%; that means 275 cases of low birth weight may have been avoided.[48]
Privacy concerns
Civil liberties and privacy rights advocates have expressed concern about how the position data gathered through E‑ZPass is used. As of August 2007[update], several states that employ E‑ZPass had provided electronic toll information in response to court orders in civil cases, including divorces and other non-criminal matters.[49]
Position data is collected by antennas at locations in addition to fee collection locations. The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), for example, collect transponder information to provide real-time estimates of travel times between common destinations. By subtracting the time when vehicles pass under the first sign from the current time, the sign can display the expected travel time between the sign and the destination point ahead. This information is also used to determine the best times to schedule maintenance-related lane closures and for other traffic management purposes. According to NYSDOT, the individual tag information is encrypted, and is deleted as soon as the vehicle passes the last reader, and is never made available to the Department.[50]
Accounts and agencies
Within the IAG, each member agency has its own billing and customer service center, and each establishes its own fee and discount structures. The agencies also set their own customer account policies. Areas of variation include the refundable deposit or nonrefundable charge for a tag, periodic maintenance fees, paper statement fees, the low account threshold, and replenishment amounts. E‑ZPass is usually offered as a debit account: tolls are deducted from prepayments made by the users. Users may opt to have prepayments automatically deposited when their account is low, or they may submit prepayments manually, either by phone or a toll authority's web portal, depending on the agency. For commercial accounts, some agencies allow postpaid plans with a security deposit (which effectively renders them prepaid accounts, with a different replenishment policy).
Fees and discounts by state
Some agencies have imposed periodic account maintenance fees on their subscribers. After New Jersey began losing money with the E‑ZPass system, a monthly account fee of one dollar was implemented on July 15, 2002[51] and is still in effect for both individual and business accounts.[52] The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey also charges a monthly individual account fee of one dollar.[53] On July 1, 2009, the Maryland Transportation Authority began charging a fee of $1.50 a month to accountholders[54] which, as of July 1, 2015[update], only applies to non-residents and is waived if three Maryland E‑ZPass tolls were incurred during the previous month.[55]
The Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority (TBTA) in New York City once imposed a monthly account fee starting on July 1, 2005, claiming to defray the administrative costs.[56] However, New York State Assembly Bill A06859A in 2005 and 2006 and Senate Bill S6331 in 2006 both considered such a fee threatening the efficiency to move traffic faster with lower tolls and sought to ban it.[57] When the New York State Law started to ban the monthly account fee,[58] the TBTA repealed it on June 1, 2006, and those, especially New Jerseyans, seeking New York accounts and avoiding the monthly fee still imposed by New Jersey and Port Authority, would have to apply for the TBTA or the New York State Thruway accounts at an E‑ZPass New York Service Center.[59]
Several agencies offer discounted tolls to E-ZPass customers. The details vary widely, and can include general discounts for all E‑ZPass users, variable pricing discounts for off-peak hours, commuter plans with minimum usage levels, flat rate plans offering unlimited use for a period of time, carpool plans for high-occupancy vehicles, and resident plans for those living near particular toll facilities. Many of these plans are available only to customers whose tags are issued by the agency that owns the toll facility in question (reciprocity applies to tag acceptance, not to discounts). Eight authorities in the Northeast (Maine,[60] the Massachusetts Turnpike,[61] the New Hampshire Turnpike,[62] Rhode Island,[63] the New York TBTA,[64] the New York State Thruway,[65] the New Jersey Turnpike,[66] DelDOT[67] and Maryland) restrict their general discounts to their own respective tagholders. The Delaware Memorial Bridge restricts its discount plans to New Jersey tags[68] despite its toll plaza being located in Delaware (DelDOT-issued tags cannot obtain the discount plans).[69]
Some agencies charge a one-time fee between $20 and $30 for each new transponder, including the Delaware Department of Transportation, the New Hampshire Department of Transportation, and the Maine Turnpike Authority.[70] At least two agencies, the Delaware River and Bay Authority and the Maryland Transportation Authority, once charged multiple fees. In a press release dated July 17, 2007, the DRBA stated: "Beginning January 1, 2008, all DRBA E-ZPass account holders will be charged an account management fee of $1.50 per month. The transponder cost will also be passed on to E‑ZPass customers for each new transponder." E‑ZPass New York charges a monthly fee of 50 cents for each tag in connection with a business account.[71] The DRBA since merged its service center with New Jersey's E-ZPass service center. On July 1, 2015, a plan put forth by Governor Larry Hogan eliminated Maryland's monthly fee (except accounts without a Maryland address, unless using Maryland toll facilities at least three times in the previous statement period)[72] along with decreasing some toll rates especially for Maryland-issued E-ZPass tags.[73]
E‑ZPass users are not required to maintain their account with an agency in their home state. Subscribers can open an E‑ZPass account with any member of the IAG regardless of residency. This means that users have the option of choosing an agency based on the fees that it charges, effectively allowing them to circumvent transponder and account maintenance fees.[74]
List of places where E-ZPass is accepted
List of agencies
As listed on its website, the E-ZPass Interagency Group includes "39 members in 17 states".[75]
- Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority (New York/Ontario)
- Burlington County Bridge Commission (New Jersey/Pennsylvania)
- Central Florida Expressway Authority
- Delaware Department of Transportation
- Delaware River and Bay Authority (Delaware/New Jersey)
- Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission (New Jersey/Pennsylvania)
- Delaware River Port Authority (New Jersey/Pennsylvania)
- Illinois State Toll Highway Authority
- Indiana Toll Road Concession Company
- Maine Turnpike Authority
- Kentucky Public Transportation Infrastructure Authority (see also Ohio River Bridges Project)
- Maryland Transportation Authority
- Massachusetts Department of Transportation
- Metropolitan Transportation Authority Bridges and Tunnels (New York)
- New Hampshire Department of Transportation
- New Jersey Turnpike Authority
- New York State Bridge Authority
- New York State Thruway Authority
- Niagara Falls Bridge Commission
- North Carolina Turnpike Authority
- Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission
- Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission
- Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (New Jersey/New York)
- Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority
- Skyway Concessions Company (Illinois)
- South Jersey Transportation Authority (New Jersey)
- Thousand Islands Bridge Authority (New York)
- Virginia Department of Transportation
- West Virginia Parkways Authority
Although the Virginia Department of Transportation is Virginia's sole member of the E-ZPass Interagency Group, not all E-ZPass facilities in Virginia are operated by the Department of Transportation.[76]
Each of the 17 E-ZPass states operates its own E-ZPass Service Center.[77] NJ E-ZPass manages accounts for the Burlington County Bridge Commission, Delaware River and Bay Authority, Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission and Delaware River Port Authority.[78][79] The E-ZPass New York Service Center operates accounts for the Buffalo and Port Erie Public Bridge Authority, the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.[80]
List of roadways, bridges, tunnels, and airports
The following tolled roads, bridges, tunnels, and airports accept E‑ZPass. Crossings between jurisdictions are listed in the state where the toll collection point is located, or linked to (in the case of international border crossings).
Delaware
- Delaware Turnpike/Interstate 95
- Delaware Route 1
- Delaware Memorial Bridge/Interstate 295
- U.S. Route 301
Florida
- Florida State Road 408 east of Colonial Drive
- Florida State Road 414
- Florida State Road 417 between the Orange-Seminole county line and International Drive/World Center Drive
- Florida State Road 429 between the Orange-Lake county line and Seidel Road
- Florida State Road 451
- Florida State Road 453
- Florida State Road 528 (Beachline Expressway) between McCoy Road and SR 520
Illinois
- Chicago Skyway/Interstate 90
- Elgin-O'Hare Western Access/Illinois Route 390
- Jane Addams Memorial Tollway/Interstate 90
- Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway/Interstate 88
- Tri-State Tollway/Interstate 80, Interstate 94, and Interstate 294
- Veterans Memorial Tollway/Interstate 355
Indiana
- Indiana Toll Road/Interstate 80, Interstate 90
- Lewis and Clark Bridge/future I-265, currently IN 265 and KY 841
Kentucky
- Lincoln & Kennedy Bridges/Interstate 65
- Lewis and Clark Bridge/future I-265, currently IN 265 and KY 841
Maine
Maryland
- Baltimore Harbor Tunnel/Interstate 895
- Fort McHenry Tunnel/Interstate 95
- Francis Scott Key Bridge/Interstate 695
- Maryland Route 200 (Intercounty Connector)
- John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway/Interstate 95
- William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial Bridge (aka the Chesapeake Bay Bridge)/U.S. Route 50 and U.S. Route 301
- Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge/U.S. Route 301
- Thomas J. Hatem Memorial Bridge/U.S. Route 40
- Bicycling is conditionally allowed since 2016 subject to the same toll as a two-axle vehicle, payable with cash or E-ZPass.[81]
Massachusetts
- Callahan Tunnel/Massachusetts Route 1A
- Massachusetts Turnpike/Interstate 90
- Sumner Tunnel/Massachusetts Route 1A
- Ted Williams Tunnel/Interstate 90
- Tobin Bridge/U.S. Route 1
New Hampshire
- Everett Turnpike/U.S. Route 3, Interstate 293, New Hampshire Route 3A, and Interstate 93
- New Hampshire Turnpike (Blue Star Turnpike)/Interstate 95
- Spaulding Turnpike/New Hampshire Route 16
New Jersey
- Atlantic Avenue Parking Lot, Atlantic City
- Atlantic City Expressway
- Atlantic City International Airport
- Benjamin Franklin Bridge/Interstate 676
- Betsy Ross Bridge/New Jersey Route 90
- Burlington-Bristol Bridge/New Jersey Route 413 and Pennsylvania Route 413
- Commodore Barry Bridge/U.S. Route 322
- Easton–Phillipsburg Toll Bridge/U.S. Route 22
- Garden State Parkway
- George Washington Bridge/Interstate 95
- Holland Tunnel/Interstate 78
- Lincoln Tunnel/New Jersey Route 495, New York State Route 495
- New Jersey Turnpike/Interstate 95 and Interstate 78
- New York Avenue Garage, Atlantic City
- Newark Liberty International Airport
- Ocean Drive[82]
- Tacony–Palmyra Bridge/New Jersey Route 73 and Pennsylvania Route 73
New York
- Albany International Airport
- Bayonne Bridge/New Jersey Route 440 and New York Route 440
- Bear Mountain Bridge/U.S. Route 6 and U.S. Route 202
- Bronx–Whitestone Bridge/Interstate 678
- Brooklyn–Battery Tunnel/Interstate 478
- Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge
- Goethals Bridge/Interstate 278
- Henry Hudson Bridge/Henry Hudson Parkway and New York Route 9A
- International Bridges between New York State, US and Ontario, Canada[83]
- John F. Kennedy International Airport
- Kingston–Rhinecliff Bridge/New York Route 199
- LaGuardia Airport
- Marine Parkway–Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge
- Mid-Hudson Bridge/U.S. Route 44 and New York Route 55
- New England Thruway/Interstate 95
- Newburgh–Beacon Bridge/Interstate 84 and New York Route 52
- New York State Thruway/Interstate 87, Interstate 287, and Interstate 90
- Outerbridge Crossing/New Jersey Route 440 and New York Route 440
- Queens–Midtown Tunnel/Interstate 495
- Rip Van Winkle Bridge/New York Route 23
- North Grand Island Bridge/Interstate 190
- South Grand Island Bridge/Interstate 190
- Syracuse Hancock International Airport
- Tappan Zee Bridge/Interstate 87 and Interstate 287
- Throgs Neck Bridge/Interstate 295
- Robert F. Kennedy (Triborough) Bridge/Interstate 278
- Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge/Interstate 278
North Carolina
- I-77 Express on Interstate 77 (HOT lanes)
- Monroe Expressway/U.S. Route 74 Bypass
- Triangle Expressway/North Carolina Highway 147 and North Carolina Highway 540
Ohio
- Ohio Turnpike (sections of Interstate 76, Interstate 80, and Interstate 90)
Pennsylvania
- Amos K. Hutchinson Bypass/PA Turnpike 66
- Delaware River–Turnpike Toll Bridge/Interstate 95
- Delaware Water Gap Toll Bridge/Interstate 80
- Interstate 78 Toll Bridge/Interstate 78
- James E. Ross Highway/Interstate 376
- Milford–Montague Toll Bridge/U.S. Route 206
- Mon–Fayette Expressway/PA Turnpike 43
- New Hope–Lambertville Toll Bridge/U.S. Route 202
- Findlay Connector/PA Turnpike 576
- Pennsylvania Turnpike/Interstate 76, Interstate 70, Interstate 276, Interstate 476, and Interstate 95
- Pittsburgh International Airport[84]
- Portland–Columbia Toll Bridge
- Scudder Falls Bridge/Interstate 295
- Trenton–Morrisville Toll Bridge/U.S. Route 1
- Walt Whitman Bridge/Interstate 76
Rhode Island
- Pell Bridge/Rhode Island Route 138
- Statewide truck-only tolling program[85]
Virginia
- Boulevard Bridge/Virginia State Route 161
- Dulles Toll Road/Virginia State Route 267
- Dulles Greenway/Virginia State Route 267
- 495 Express Lanes/Interstate 495 (HOT lanes)
- Powhite Parkway/Virginia State Route 76
- Downtown Expressway/Virginia State Route 195
- George P. Coleman Memorial Bridge/U.S. Route 17
- Chesapeake Expressway/Virginia State Route 168
- Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel/U.S. Route 13
- Pocahontas Parkway/Virginia State Route 895
- South Norfolk Jordan Bridge/Virginia State Route 337
- Downtown Tunnel/Interstate 264
- Midtown Tunnel/U.S. Route 58
- 95 Express Lanes on Interstate 95 (HOT lanes)
- Dominion Boulevard Veterans Bridge/U.S. Route 17
- Interstate 66 (Inside the Beltway)
- 64 Express Lanes on Interstate 64 (HOT lanes)
West Virginia
Other non-toll uses
Although not part of the E‑ZPass-Plus program, E‑ZPass users may also pay for parking at Pittsburgh International Airport. The E‑ZPass transponder is used for identification only. The Southern Beltway, which also uses E-ZPass, has its western terminus at the airport.
E‑ZPass was tested in a since-discontinued program by some McDonald's restaurants on Long Island, New York, at which drive-through customers were given the option to pay using their E‑ZPass accounts to test out cardless payment platforms.[86][87] In late 2013, Wendy's started a similar system called drive-thru that is E-ZPass compatible, and is currently undergoing testing at five Staten Island Wendy's locations.[87] In 2018, a one-year pilot project with the startup Verdeva was announced to test drive-thru and gas station payments via separate accounts set up with the E-ZPass system.[88]
The New York State Fair offered E‑ZPass Plus as a payment option at two of its parking lots for the first time in 2007,[89] and offered the service again for subsequent seasons.[90] The service was administered by the New York State Thruway Authority (NYSTA), and motorists' E‑ZPass accounts were charged the same $5 parking fee that cash customers were charged. Unlike other E‑ZPass Plus implementations, the State Fair systems charged motorists at the parking lot entrances; drivers opting to pay by E‑ZPass Plus used dedicated "E‑ ZPass Plus Only" lanes. Since the lots only charge for parking during the twelve days of the State Fair, mobile, self-contained E-ZPass units were used to process vehicles. The units were mounted on trailers with a collapsible gantry for the E‑ZPass antennas, used a cellular wireless connection to send transactions to the NYSTA back-office system, and were powered by batteries that were kept replenished by photovoltaic solar panels, with a generator for backup.[91]
E‑ZPass can be used to pay for parking at the Route 128 station in Westwood, Massachusetts; this is available for Massachusetts customers only. E-ZPass can also be used to pay for parking at John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport in New York City.
E‑ZPass transponders are also used to monitor traffic. A transponder-reader is placed above the roadway at various intervals, and the time a particular tag takes between scans at each interval provides information about the speed of traffic between those points. This transit time information is often relayed back to motorists via electronic signs on the roadway.[92] The individual tag data is not collected or used for ticketing purposes, as some sources have suggested.[93]
Toll facilities that do not accept E-ZPass in E-ZPass states and provinces
There are many toll facilities, mostly bridges run by independent authorities, that are not part of the E-ZPass network even though they are in a state that is in the E-ZPass region. With Congress seeking a national electronic toll-collection system in place by mid-2016 for federal highways, E-ZPass officials are talking to other states that have electronic tolls "to find a common way to do business".[94]
Florida
- Alligator Alley – Uses SunPass.
- Bob Sikes Bridge – Uses SunPass.
- Broad Causeway – Uses SunPass.
- Cape Coral Bridge – Uses SunPass and LeeWay.
- Card Sound Bridge - Uses SunPass
- Florida's Turnpike Enterprise – Florida's Turnpike, Homestead Extension, Sawgrass Expressway, Polk Parkway, Suncoast Parkway, Veterans Expressway, the northern end of the Seminole Expressway, the southern six miles (10 km) of Southern Connector Extension, the southern 11 miles (18 km) of the Daniel Webster Western Beltway, the western eight miles (13 km) of Beachline West Expressway. Uses SunPass.
- Garcon Point Bridge – Uses SunPass.
- Gasparilla Bridge
- I-4/Selmon Expressway Connector – Uses SunPass.
- I-75 Express Lanes – Uses SunPass.
- I-95 Express Lanes – Uses SunPass.
- I-595 Express Lanes – Uses SunPass.
- Lee Roy Selmon Expressway – Uses SunPass.
- Miami-Dade Expressway Authority – Gratigny Parkway, Airport Expressway, Dolphin Expressway, Don Shula Expressway, Snapper Creek Expressway, Venetian Causeway. Uses SunPass.
- Mid-Bay Bridge – Uses SunPass.
- Midpoint Memorial Bridge – Uses SunPass and LeeWay.
- Orchard Pond Parkway – Uses SunPass.
- Osceola Parkway – Uses SunPass and E-Pass.
- Pinellas Bayway – Uses SunPass.
- Poinciana Parkway – Uses SunPass and E-Pass.
- Rickenbacker Causeway – Uses SunPass.
- Sanibel Causeway – Uses SunPass and LeeWay.
- Sunshine Skyway Bridge – Uses SunPass.
Other states and provinces
- Anderson Ferry (Ohio/Kentucky)
- Atlantic Beach Bridge (New York)
- Augusta Ferry (Ohio/Kentucky)
- Cape May–Lewes Ferry (Delaware/New Jersey)
- Downbeach Express (New Jersey)
- Dingman's Ferry Bridge (New Jersey/Pennsylvania)
- Fort Madison Toll Bridge (Illinois/Iowa)
- Greenspring Low Water Toll Bridge (West Virginia/Maryland)
- Memorial Bridge (West Virginia/Ohio)
- Moseywood Road (Lake Harmony, Pennsylvania) – Toll paid upon entry to community. Provides a shortcut to Lake Harmony from Pennsylvania Route 940 to Pennsylvania Route 903
- Newell Toll Bridge (West Virginia/Ohio) – Privately owned, not operated by the Ohio Turnpike nor the West Virginia Parkways Authority
- Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge (New York/Ontario)
- Seaway International Bridge (New York/Ontario)
- St. Francisville Bridge – Old Wabash Cannonball Railroad (Illinois-Indiana)[95]
- White's Ferry (Dickerson, Maryland to Leesburg, Virginia)
- Highways 407, 412, and 418 (Ontario)
None of the toll bridges or tunnels partially in or fully in Michigan (Ambassador Bridge, Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, Blue Water Bridge, Mackinac Bridge, or International Bridge) use E-ZPass even though Michigan is adjacent to two states (Indiana and Ohio) that use it for their toll roads.
See also
- EZ Tag
- Drivewyze – weigh station bypassing of commercial vehicles at participating state highway locations
- List of electronic toll collection systems
- List of toll bridges
- List of toll roads
- NORPASS – weigh station bypassing, partner of E-ZPass
- PrePass – weigh station bypassing, commercial vehicles at participating state highway locations
References
- ^ https://www.cfxway.com/agency-information/newsroom/news-releases/central-florida-expressway-authority-joins-e-zpass-group/
- ^ "NJTA-E-ZPass". State.NJ.US. December 13, 2007. Archived from the original on December 13, 2007.
- ^ "Tags". E-ZPass® New York. Retrieved July 23, 2013.
- ^ "E-ZPass MA Frequently Asked Questions". Highway Division - MassDOT. Archived from the original on 2013-07-19.
- ^ "I-95 High-Speed E-ZPass lanes open in Hampton". Fosters.com. Retrieved 2010-07-13.
- ^ "File Specifications". E-ZPass Group. Retrieved July 23, 2013.
- ^ "E-ZPass MA Frequently Asked Questions". Highway Division – MassDOT. Archived from the original on July 19, 2013. Retrieved July 23, 2013.
- ^ "Press Kit". Kapsch.net. April 25, 2013. Retrieved July 23, 2013.
- ^ "getezpass.com". www.getezpass.com. Retrieved 2011-02-28.
- ^ "E-ZPass Retail". PATurnpike.com. Archived from the original on 2010-03-14.
- ^ "2016 Monthly Traffic and Percent of E‐ZPass Usage" (PDF). Port Authority of NY and NJ. Retrieved November 5, 2016.
- ^ Sims, Calvin (1991-04-04). "No-Stop Tolls: 3 States Agree To Automation". The New York Times. Retrieved 2018-04-12.
- ^ "Latest Status Info". Tarr.uspto.gov. Retrieved 2011-02-28.
- ^ [1]
- ^ Rifkin, Glenn (1992-09-09). "BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY; Electronic Toll-Taking Is Being Put to the Test". The New York Times. Retrieved 2018-04-12.
- ^ Gross, Jane (1997-03-25). "Electronic Tolls Are Catching On, And Commuters Are Catching Up". The New York Times. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
- ^ Holloway, Lynette (1996-08-21). "With Triborough Bridge Debut, A Test for E-Z Pass Toll System". The New York Times. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
- ^ Pristin, Terry (1997-07-16). "A Few Glitches in E-Z Pass". The New York Times. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
- ^ Pristin, Terry (1997-10-29). "New Jersey Daily Briefing; E-Z Pass Exceeds Expectation". The New York Times. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
- ^ "Electronic tolls coming to Pa. Turnpike by 1998". Lancaster New Era. Associated Press. March 22, 1994. p. A3.
- ^ Gilbert, Pat R. (March 22, 1994). "7 Agencies OK Electronic Toll-Collection Firm: Project Expected to Speed Traffic on Parkway, Turnpike". The Record. Bergen County, NJ. p. A3.
- ^ Wyckoff, P.L. (March 12, 1998). "E-ZPass to debut on Atlantic City highway: But 2000 is target for Turnpike and Parkway". The Star-Ledger. Newark, NJ. p. 22.
- ^ "E-ZPass not so easy for drivers on first day". Erie Times-News. Associated Press. December 3, 2000.
- ^ "Pennsylvania Turnpike extends E-ZPass service". The Express-Times. Easton, PA. December 15, 2001.
- ^ Fuoco, Michael A. (December 22, 2001). "Turnpike E-ZPass Will Get More Lanes". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. D6.
- ^ Therolf, Garrett (December 15, 2002). "E-ZPass making life harder for bridge users". The Morning Call. Allentown, PA. p. B1.
- ^ Agnello, Joe (March 16, 2006). "E-ZPASS, Other Enhancements Coming This Year to Greensburg and Beaver Valley Expressways" (Press release). Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. Archived from the original on October 14, 2008. Retrieved March 15, 2012.
- ^ "Toll collection system – U.S. Patent 5819234 Abstract". Patentstorm.us. Archived from the original on 2010-12-17. Retrieved 2011-02-28.
- ^ "Va. Joins E-ZPass Fast Lane (washingtonpost.com)".
- ^ "North Carolina and E-ZPass interoperable from January 3, 2013 - Toll Roads News". Archived from the original on September 16, 2013.
- ^ https://www.cfxway.com/agency-information/newsroom/news-releases/central-florida-expressway-authority-joins-e-zpass-group/
- ^ Samuel, Peter (21 March 2007). "Indiana to have I-Zoom transponder brand". TollRoadsNews.com. Archived from the original on 7 February 2012.
- ^ "E‑ZPass Lanes open". Associated Press. WBZ News Radio. 16 December 2008. Archived from the original on 12 July 2012. Retrieved 2008-12-16.
- ^ Green, Marcus (July 29, 2015). "Kentucky joins E-Z Pass for Ohio River Bridges Project". Louisville, KY: WDRB. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
- ^ "Central Florida Expressway Authority Joins E-ZPass Group" (Press release). Central Florida Expressway Authority. November 9, 2017. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
- ^ Williams, Kevin (August 2, 2018). "E-ZPass is coming to some local toll roads starting Sept. 1". Orlando, FL: WFTV. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
- ^ Elliott, Chrisopher (27 September 2018). "When will we have a nationwide toll transponder system?". USA TODAY. Gannett Company. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
- ^ ATI – Alliance for Toll Interoperability. Tollinterop.org (2013-07-19). Retrieved on 2013-07-23.
- ^ "Toll Payment in Other States May Get Easier". .tbo.com. 2009-02-06. Archived from the original on 2009-12-19. Retrieved 2011-02-28.
- ^ Thompson, Charles (March 6, 2012). "Caution: All-E-Z Pass turnpike ahead". The Patriot-News. Harrisburg, PA. p. A1.
- ^ "Niagara Falls Bridge Commission Introduces E-ZPass® Toll Program at Rainbow, Whirlpool, and Lewiston-Queenston Bridge Crossings" (Press release). Niagara Falls Bridge Commission. June 2, 2014. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
- ^ a b [2] Archived December 3, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Ezpass NJ availability types and methods to get discounts". PayPticket. 2018-11-03. Retrieved 2018-11-08.
- ^ "NH E-ZPass®". Ezpassnh.com. Retrieved July 23, 2013.
- ^ "video interview with Pierce Coffee, I-495 Express Lanes Project Marketing Director". WUSA-TV. 13 March 2012. Archived from the original on 17 December 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
- ^ "VDOT :: E-ZPass Flex". ezpassva.com. Retrieved 2015-05-25.
- ^ E-Pass Xtra
- ^ "Traffic Congestion, Infant Health, and E-ZPass". Journalist's Resource.org.
- ^ Newmarker, Chris (8 October 2007). "E-ZPass Records Out Cheaters in Divorce Court". MSNBC. Retrieved 2011-02-28.
- ^ "NYSDOT Announces Travel Time Signs in Staten Island". New York State Department of Transportation. 2007-07-10. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
- ^ Tri-State Transportation Campaign: Mobilizing the Region 386, E-ZPass Gains New Customers Archived 2017-06-28 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ New Jersey E-ZPass – Individual and Business Terms and Conditions[permanent dead link]
- ^ "E-ZPass® New York - Terms & Conditions - Individual Accounts".
- ^ "Cost-Recovery Efforts Approved for Maryland's Toll Facilities". 29 January 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-04.
- ^ "MDTA News Releases".
- ^ "Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority statement to E-ZPass account holders". Web.archive.org. Archived from the original on 2005-06-09. Retrieved 2011-02-28.
- ^ "New York State Legislature Bill Status". Public.leginfo.state.ny.us. Retrieved 2011-02-28.
- ^ "Public Authorities Law Section 2855". Public.leginfo.state.ny.us. Retrieved 2011-02-28.
- ^ AAA New York: Car and Travel: March 2007[permanent dead link]
- ^ Maine Turnpike: Toll Charts Archived 2012-05-11 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Massachusetts Turnpike Toll / Mileage Calculator Archived 2012-09-04 at archive.today shows that E-ZPass discount tolls are limited to FAST LANE users.
- ^ "New Hampshire Turnpike System Toll Rate Schedule" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2011-02-28.
- ^ "Newport/Pell Bridge Toll Rates". Ritba.org. 2010-02-15. Archived from the original on 2010-11-27. Retrieved 2011-02-28.
- ^ MTA Bridges and Tunnels Crossing Charges limit E-ZPass discounts for tags issued by New York E-ZPass Customer Service Center only.
- ^ Toll and Distance Frequently Asked Questions limit E-ZPass discounts for tags issued by New York E-ZPass Customer Service Center only.
- ^ "New Jersey Turnpike Authority: Toll Rates". State.nj.us. Retrieved 2011-02-28.
- ^ The Frequent User Plan Archived 2015-02-19 at the Wayback Machine is limited to Delaware tags. Otherwise, the cash and E‑ZPass tolls are the same.
- ^ "Plan Descriptions and Discounts (Delaware Memorial Bridge) (Tag Specific)". NJ E-ZPass. 2012. Retrieved 2015-07-14.
- ^ "Frequently Asked Questions: Your E-ZPass Account". E-ZPass Delaware. 2015. Retrieved 2015-07-14.
- ^ "How Much Does a Maine Turnpike E-ZPass Tag Cost?". EZPassMaineTurnpike.com. Retrieved 2010-07-13.
- ^ "E-ZPass® New York - Terms & Conditions - Business Accounts".
- ^ "Private Account Terms and Conditions, Section II.h" (PDF). Ezpassmd.com. 2015-07-01. Retrieved 2015-07-14.
- ^ "New Lower Toll Rates Effective July 1" (PDF). Ezpassmd.com. 2015. Retrieved 2015-07-14.
- ^ Laura Northrup (2 March 2011). "You Don't Have to Buy an E-ZPass from the State Where You Live". The Consumerist.
- ^ "About Us – Members". E-ZPass Group. E-ZPass Interagency Group. Retrieved January 2, 2017.
- ^ "Toll Facilities". VDOT. Virginia Department of Transportation. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
- ^ "E-ZPass Group – Get E-ZPass". E-ZPass Interagency Group. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
- ^ "NJ E-ZPass". E-ZPass New Jersey. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
- ^ "COMMISSION MOVES TO MERGE E-ZPASS CUSTOMER SERVICE OPERATIONS WITH NEW JERSEY ELECTRONIC TOLL COLLECTION GROUP". DRTJBC – Current Press Releases. Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission. Archived from the original on 5 July 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
- ^ "E-ZPass New York". E-ZPass New York. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
- ^ Anderson, David (August 24, 2016). "Hatem Bridge bike riders will be limited to weekends, holidays starting Sept. 6". The Aegis. Baltimore Sun Media Group. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
- ^ Wittkowski, Donald (April 26, 2018). "E-Z Pass set to go live on Cape May County bridges". The Press of Atlantic City. Retrieved May 20, 2018.
- ^ Note: Some toll plazas are in New York and some are in Ontario.
- ^ "Grant Oliver Launches Online Sign Up for Go Fast Pass". PRNewswire. Pittsburgh. March 24, 2010. Retrieved July 23, 2013.
- ^ http://www.dot.ri.gov/tolling/index.php
- ^ "McDonald's Testing E-Payment System". USA Today. 29 May 2001. Retrieved May 1, 2010.
- ^ a b Fast Food Drive-Thrus Are Getting E-ZPass System So You Don't Have to Exhaust Yourself Digging for Change Time (12/26/2013)
- ^ [3]
- ^ "E‑ZPass Tested at State Fair as Way To Clear Traffic – August 30, 2007,". New York Sun. 30 August 2007. Retrieved 2011-02-28.
- ^ [4][dead link]
- ^ "Mobile E-ZPass reader deployed by NYSTA for Fair parking – Rent a Reader opportunity". TOLLROADSnews. 29 August 2007. Archived from the original on 5 February 2011. Retrieved 2011-02-28.
- ^ "E-ZPass Monitors Being Set Up to Observe City Traffic". Gothamist. 11 April 2011. Archived from the original on 23 June 2011. Retrieved 2011-09-27.
- ^ "E‑ZPass Speeding Tickets False". Snopes. Retrieved 2011-09-27.
- ^ Donald Wittkowski. "As E-ZPass turns 20, electronic toll system could link more states". The Press of Atlantic City. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
- ^ "Toll Facilities in the United States". Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved 4 December 2013.