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State moves another step closer to cashless tolls on entire Thruway

NITTEC
Cashless tolling is already in place at the Grand Island Bridges.

The New York State Thruway Authority Board of Directors has approved a Design-Build team to install cashless tolling along the Thruway. The governor says the $355.3 million investment will make the Thruway system safer, greener and less congested for the some 267 million motorists that travel the superhighway each year.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Cashless Tolling Constructors, LLC submitted the "Best Value" proposal, which will be submitted to the New York State Comptroller's Office for approval.

The choice makes good on Cuomo's 2018 State of the State address to implement cashless tolling along the entire Thruway by the end of 2020. Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul said cashless tolling at the Grand Island Bridges has already improved traffic flow.

"Allowing motorists to get to their destinations easier and quicker without having to stop to pay a toll," she said. "Less idling also complements our clean energy goals, reducing pollution for a cleaner and greener environment."

Construction is scheduled to begin across the Thruway system in late summer or early fall, with the installation of gantries and cashless tolling equipment. When it is operational, motorists will drive seamlessly through 52 Thruway interchanges and toll barriers under state-of-the-art sensors and cameras that read E-ZPass tags and take license plate images so vehicles no longer have to stop to pay tolls.

Cuomo reminded motorists that vehicles with E-ZPass tags are automatically charged and vehicles without E-ZPass tags will have their license plate image captured and a toll bill mailed to the registered owner. Customers who pay using Tolls By Mail will pay the same toll rate previously paid by cash customers and E-ZPass customers with New York accounts will continue to receive a five percent discount.

Following the switchover, the existing toll plazas and barriers will be removed in phases.

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