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If you’re from a state that doesn’t have to worry about toll roads then you might be asking, “What is a toll road?”. Or “Why do states have toll roads?”. Also known as a tollway or turnpike, a toll road is a public or private road where a fee is charged to the driver. This revenue brought in from tollways is then used on infrastructure such as road construction and road maintenance.
Tollways have been around long before cars and they’ve evolved since the beginning. Many of us may remember tolls being collected via toll booths where you would have to stop, enter money into the machine, then proceed once an automatic gate lifts. Before these, there were toll-takers who would collect the money and operate the gate manually. Increases in technology eventually changed all of that.
Through the years we’ve seen the use of electronic toll equipment become increasingly popular and improve the flow of traffic. For instance, this equipment simplified and sped up the process by automatically communicating with a transponder. A transponder is a device that will receive a signal and then emit a different signal in response. Drivers place a transponder within their vehicle, allowing them to drive right through the toll. Then, every time a transponder is pinged, it deducts a certain amount of money from the driver’s account. As an added incentive, tolls are usually discounted to encourage drivers to go electronic.
Drivers may be accustomed to seeing something like a three-lane setup where two lanes are for transponders and one lane is for cash payment. Recently, though, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused many states to go exclusively cashless. Illinois Tollway Executive Director José Alvarez says, “Customers will begin to see permanent changes at toll plazas system-wide. Changes made to ensure customers are able to safely and confidently navigate our toll plazas that will all but put cash toll collection behind us. We remain committed to helping the state’s efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, and… continue providing a world-class transportation network that supports the entire regional economy.”. The pandemic may have accelerated the transition to transponders and as a result, it looks like cashless tollways are here to stay.
Because many states are no longer accepting cash at turnpikes you might be asking yourself, “How can I go through a tollway if I’m from a different state?” or simply, “How can I go through a tollway if I don’t have a transponder?”. If a driver does not have a transponder, then they may still proceed through the tollway but will be charged via plate recognition technology. This requires drivers to go online and pay the fee within the allotted time (often 14 days); otherwise, a fine will be assessed. If you’re not paying attention, these fines could add up quickly.
To keep you better prepared, we have provided a list of all of the current states with tollways, turnpikes, or toll roads.
Below is the current list of states with toll roads and their associated electronic pass system.
The E-ZPass is an electronic toll collection system used on most toll roads, bridges, and tunnels on the East Coast and in the Midwest. It’s the most widely used tollway system in the United States. While some states may offer their own electronic toll systems such as the I-PASS in Illinois or the SunPass in Florida, these systems are often fully-integrated within the E-ZPass network and will work in many states. The E-ZPass system has continued to grow since its creation in 1987, and currently, all of the following states accept E-ZPass.
If you are worried that you may have unpaid tolls, check your local toll road website for additional information. You will likely need to set up a “pay by license plate” account for the tolls that were assessed to your license plate. If you know ahead of time that you will be traveling without an E-ZPass or the necessary local pass, it is recommended you set up your “pay by license plate” account in advance so that you don’t forget to pay resulting in an accumulation of fines.
If you recently have or are planning to move, to a state with toll roads, go online and set up a toll pass account. It may seem like a hassle at first, but once equipped with a transponder, you won’t have to worry much about it again. Plus, most states offer discounted toll fees if you are using the transponder.
Toll roads are becoming a way of life. And unfortunately, there’s no way around avoiding these tolls if you will be traveling where they are prevalent. You can always try to use Google Maps or other GPS tools and enter your destination “without tolls”, however, this will likely add a significant amount of time to your travels. And there’s no denying that you could still make a wrong turn and accidentally end up on a toll road. And yes, it’s illegal to cover up your license plate. Ultimately, it is best to be fully aware of toll road rules and regulations so you’re prepared.
As discussed earlier, the future of tollways will likely be cashless. And their popularity is growing daily. More states continue to express interest in adding turnpikes and toll roads. And states that already have toll roads are adding even more tolls to what are currently freeways. Many states have turned to highway tolls as an effective way to generate revenue for infrastructure.
If you have been paying close attention to the news lately you may be thinking, “what about Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill?”. While the proposed infrastructure bill aims to help states with their funding for improving roads, the bill is spread widely across many topics including funding in support of electric vehicles, and it’s highly likely that states will still lean on tollways for additional revenue to help with road construction and maintenance.
This post was published on November 30, 2021
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