- Kapsch Joint Venture Wins Major Swiss Tolling Contract
- Georgia And New York Governors Announce Transportation Infrastructure Priorities
- New York Capital Region Truck Parking Study Released For Public Comment
- Winter Weather Affects Toll Facilities Across The Country
- These are just some of the toll industry developments TRN is following.
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Kapsch Joint Venture Wins Major Swiss Tolling Contract
Kapsch TrafficCom announced that Switzerland’s federal customs and border security agency (BAZG) has awarded a contract to supply hardware and services for the national truck tolling system to a 50:50 joint venture formed by Kapsch and the Swiss firm LOSTnFOUND AG. The contract is valued at 54 million EUR (approximately 49.7 million USD) and has an eight-year term with the potential for a two-year extension. The firms will provide equipment, GPS data collection and customer service for the tolling of heavy goods vehicles weighing more than 3.5 metric tons. Kapsch will supply vehicles subject to tolling with GNSS-capable, TÜV-certified on-board units that also meet certification standards for the EU Taxonomy Regulation on climate change. “The on-board unit,” Kapsch notes, “determines the waypoints using GNSS [Global Navigation Satellite System] localization, records trailer parameters and total weight and transmits this driving data via the mobile communications network to the back office-IT system of the joint venture provider.” The journey data is then processed and transferred to BAZG. Customer service will be supported by a multilingual (German, French, Italian and English) online portal through which users will submit orders and fault reports, request on-board unit replacements and make data entry modifications. Customers will also be able to receive personal support via a telephone hotline. Kapsch said the project will “make the toll collection system more user-friendly and transparent.”
Telematics firm LOSTnFOUND AG is part of AddSecure, a European IoT connectivity provider.
AET (All-Electronic Tolling) ETC Systems GPS- and Satellite-Based Toll Collection Kapsch Procurement of Tolling Equipment & Services SwitzerlandGeorgia And New York Governors Announce Transportation Infrastructure Priorities
In recent “State of the State” addresses, “several governors said they would prioritize ambitious and much needed infrastructure projects,” Route Fifty reports. The article spotlights mobility investments outlined by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp (R) and New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D). The two are operating under drastically different fiscal landscapes: Kemp plans to tap a nearly $11 billion state revenue surplus to fund priority projects rather than borrow the money, saving $1.3 billion in interest payments over the next 20 years. “To continue being the best state to live, work and raise a family, our transportation infrastructure must not only keep up with demand; it must look five, 10, 20 years ahead,” he said. New York, on the other hand, is facing a $4 billion deficit. Nonetheless, Governor Hochul highlighted her commitment to serving “transit deserts in New York City” by extending the subway system in Harlem and adding a light rail line between Brooklyn and Queens.
Georgia Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) Infrastructure Investment Trends Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) New York New York CityNew York Capital Region Truck Parking Study Released For Public Comment
New York’s Capital Region Transportation Council (CRTC), the MPO serving Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga and Schenectady Counties, is accepting public comments until January 29 on its recently released Capital Region Truck Parking Study, “Land Line” Magazine reports. The 250-page report assesses current demand and capacity and makes recommendations to address discrepancies between the two. That includes most service plazas on the New York State Thruway, where CRTC recommends developing more parking for trucks. It also notes that, while many facilities are at or over capacity overnight, others are underutilized — especially private sites that charge drivers to park. Recommendations also address shortages on the I-90 corridor, developing formal guidance for local zoning and site plan decisions, and creating plans for truck detours and parking in the event of emergencies. The article includes a link to the audio of an interview about the study with CRTC’s director of transportation planning, Chris Bauer. Emailed comments on the study can be sent to info@capitalmpo.org.
Winter Weather Affects Toll Facilities Across The Country
Washington State DOT on Sunday temporarily limited traffic on its SR 167 and I-405 toll lanes to high-occupancy vehicles and also waived tolls “to avoid charging inconsistently,” KOMO reports. The department said below-freezing temperatures affected some of the highways’ tolling systems. Regular collection has since resumed, but the department said further adjustments may be made in response to weather conditions.
In Texas, KHOU reports, an accident on the frozen Hardy Toll Road operated by the Harris County Toll Road Authority (HCTRA) brought traffic to a standstill for hours on Monday, with some drivers becoming stranded when they ran out of gas. One driver “said he’s not sure that local leaders did enough to make sure the roads were treated before the winter blast hit Houston.” Extreme weather conditions are expected to continue today but city officials said they will evaluate their response once the front passes. Meanwhile, HCTRA closed its offices and EZ TAG stores today and is operating its call center “with limited coverage” due to the inclement weather, KPRC reports.
KVUE reports that State Highway 130 was temporarily closed due to multiple collisions.
The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority had to temporarily close segments of the Turner Turnpike after multiple collisions on that roadway, KOCO reports.
NJ.com reports, speed restrictions related to winter weather conditions and salting operations were in effect on various sections of the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway today. Last night, the parkway’s northbound express lanes near the Asbury Park toll plaza were closed due to a crash. Traffic was diverted onto the local lanes.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) declared a state of emergency in several counties in the western part of the state, and commercial traffic has been curtailed on parts of the New York State Thruway, WENY reports.
NOLA.com reports that icy road conditions forced the closure of the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway for several hours today. Some lane restrictions remain in effect.
The New York Times cautions that a “dangerously cold” Arctic blast reaching as far south as Texas and Mississippi brings the risk of frostbite after just a few minutes. The Rocky Mountains, Great Plains and Midwest are bracing for wind chill temperatures below freezing.
Harris County Toll Road Authority (HCTRA) Highway-Tunnel-Bridge Maintenance Highway-Tunnel-Bridge Safety (Includes COVID-19 Impacts) Houston Metro Area I-405 and SR 167 Express Lanes (WSDOT) Lake Pontchartrain Causeway (Metro New Orleans) Louisiana New Jersey New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) New York New York State Thruway Authority Oklahoma Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA) Texas Washington State Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT)These are just some of the toll industry developments TRN is following.
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