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Cashless tolling takes another step forward on the NYS Thruway

A gantry recently installed on the NYS Thruway.
Office of NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo
A gantry recently installed on the NYS Thruway.
A gantry recently installed on the NYS Thruway.
Credit Office of NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo
A gantry recently installed on the NYS Thruway.

The New York State Thruway’s move to all cashless tolls has taken another step forward.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo says that the final of 70 steel gantries being built as part of this system has been installed. It’s located on the Thruway at Exit 42 in Geneva.

There’s a total of 21 gantries along the main part of the thruway and another 34 at entrance and exit ramps.

The crews are now installing sensors and cameras at those overhead gantries that read EZ-Pass tags and take license plate images; the system is expected to be operational by the end of this year.

Once the cashless system is activated, Thruway drivers will no longer have to stop to pay tolls. Vehicles with EZ-Pass tags are automatically charged and those who don’t have EZ-Pass will be mailed a bill after cameras take a photo of their license plates.

Officials say that following the conversion to cashless tolling, the existing toll plazas and barriers will be removed in phases. While the booths are being razed, drivers will continue to travel through existing toll lanes at reduced speeds without stopping until the booths are removed and road reconfigurations are complete. The posted speed limit when traveling through the toll lanes will be 20 mph.

Copyright 2020 WXXI News

Randy Gorbman is WXXI's Director of News and Public Affairs. Randy manages the day-to-day operations of WXXI News on radio, television, and online.