Public

Colorado Starts Enforcing Anti-Weaving Rule On I-25 Express Lanes Segment

Posted on

Yesterday, May 7, Colorado DOT began to issue fines for “lane weaving,” crossing a solid lane stripe to make an unauthorized merge in or out of the 14 miles of I-25 express lanes between Berthoud and Fort Collins, During a preceding 30-day grace period, the department sent 3,504 warning notices to drivers. It says weaving  “is extremely dangerous and increases the risk of a crash because of the significant speed differentials between vehicles in the Express Lanes and those in the general-purpose lanes.”

Enforcement is conducted through an automated system that uses roadside cameras and sensors to detect violations and issues fines of $75.00. The system initiative was lunched in 2023 on the I-70 Mountain Express Lane corridor. Since then, it has been expanded to include all active express lanes facilities in the state.

“We’re seeing very positive results from this technology,” said CDOT spokeperson Tim Hoover. “In corridors where it’s already in place, violations have dropped by over 90%, which translates to safer conditions and fewer crashes and close calls for everyone on the road.”

Tolling of the I-25 segment started on April 7, more than two years after CDOT opened the express lanes to traffic.

Sources: CDOT news release, TRN

Poland Will Contribute To Ukraine Reconstruction By Financing And Building Toll Road

Posted on

As part of its commitment to support Ukraine post-war reconstruction, Poland plans to finance construction of the M10 motorway, an 80 kilometer (50 mile) toll road. The facility will be an extension of Poland’s A4 highway and create a new link between the Kraków-Korczów border crossing and Lviv. Located in western Ukraine, Lviv, with a population of nearly 725,000, is a regional commercial and industrial hub.

In addition to providing financing, the Polish government will appoint a construction monitoring body to simplify Polish contractor participation in the project.

There was interest in the project before the war, but Ukrainian financing wasn’t available. The Polish government will recoup its investment costs through the collection of tolls.

The two countries expect to sign a project framework agreement in June.

Sources: Ukraine Business News, LIGA.net

New Hampshire House Committee Recommends Toll Hike Bill Undergo Further Study

Posted on

Legislation (SB 627) approved by the New Hampshire Senate to modestly increase turnpike toll rates for motorists who pay cash or don’t use a New Hampshire E-ZPass account has stalled in the House. On May 4, the chamber’s Ways and Means Committee voted 11-9 along partisan lines to recommend the bill undergo interim study. If the recommendation is adopted by the full House, final action on the bill will be delayed by at least six months.

Republican lawmakers took the position that further study is warranted to determine what effect a toll hike would have on tourism. Democrats argued the state needs additional revenue now to address its transportation funding “crisis.” They also suggested that the small increase provided for in the measure is unlikely to deter visits to the state. It was noted in debate that the neighboring states of Maine and Massachusetts already charge higher rates for use of an out-of-state E-ZPass account.

Sources: InDepthNH, WMUR News

Pennsylvania Turnpike Adopts 2027 Budget And New 10-Year Capital Plan

Posted on

At its May 5 meeting, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) unanimously approved a 2027 operating budget and a 2027-2036 capital plan. The $478 million annual spending plan represents four percent year-on-year growth. The capital program envisions an $8.29 billion investment in infrastructure over ten years.

PTC projects it will receive almost $2 billion of revenue in 2027, half of which it will allocate to debt service. PTC noted that the $16 billion burden of debt imposed by Act 44 of 2007 “makes it critical . . . to continue with its conservative budgeting strategy. Balancing an escalating debt portfolio means focusing on cost management and capital plan project prioritization.”

The operating budget includes $38 million to complete and launch “Journi,” PTC’s new back-office system. It will enhance customer experience and streamline both communications and transactions. To prepare for the 2027 implementation of open-road tolling on the turnpike’s western section, the budget funds interchange conversion and reconfiguration, as well as the deployment of tolling technology.

2027 capital investment will total $873.9 million. PTC plans to spend $545.8 million of that amount on new and continuing projects to enhance its road infrastructure, “improving safety, reducing congestion and providing a more efficient travel experience for . . .  customers.” Funding is allocated for 20 projects that are part of the landmark Total Reconstruction Initiative.

When ready for posting, the new operating budget and the updated capital plan will be available to download.

Sources: PTC news release

STAR Systems Multiprotocol Reader Obtains E-ZPass Group Certification

Posted on

STAR Systems International announced that its Titan Pro multiprotocol transponder reader successfully completed certification testing and is now approved for revenue use by the E-ZPass Group.

The company noted, “The E-ZPass certification process is one of the most rigorous approval programs in the tolling industry, requiring comprehensive laboratory and field testing to ensure compliance with stringent performance, interoperability, and reliability standards required for tolling systems. Readers are evaluated for accuracy in over 30,000 complex scenarios, including high‑speed traffic, diverse vehicle types, and multi-lane, multi-protocol configurations. Through this rigorous process, the Titan Pro demonstrated its ability to deliver high-accuracy performance under demanding real-world conditions.”

STAR Systems designed Titan Pro to be compatible with new and legacy infrastructure. Its characteristics include four high-speed antenna ports, advanced encryption, embedded applications support, the RAIN Communication Interface (RCI), and NanoSync™ technology. The latter feature supports synchronization of multiple Titan Pro units with sub-microsecond level precision via ethernet. NanoSync™ simplifies system architecture, reduces installation complexity, and enables complex multi-reader installations to operate optimally as a unified system.

Source: STAR System International news release