Daily News Briefs, January 3, 2025

Pennsylvania Turnpike's New Era Of Toll Collection Begins Sunday Morning

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) is ready to implement the first phase of a landmark toll collection system transformation at 12:01 AM this Sunday morning, January 5. At that hour, PTC will start the fully electronic, open-road tolling (ORT) of its network east of Reading and on the Northeast Extension. (The same system is due for launch on the commission’s western segments in January 2027.)

In a detailed news release issued yesterday, PTC acclaimed the benefits of ORT for drivers and nearby communities, explained the workings of the new collection system, and encouraged customers to prepare for changes brought about by the new system.

The release also addresses toll structure changes that will coincide with the ORT launch. On Sunday, PTC will introduce a consistent per-mile rate schedule and axle- and height-based automated vehicle classification (AVC). “Both changes,” it explains in a briefing document, “increase predictability and consistency for our customers.”

An annual toll hike will also take effect on Sunday morning. However, given the toll structure changes, PTC notes that nearly half of all passenger car trips will involve lower toll charges starting Sunday. “About 84% of E-ZPass and 74% of Toll By Plate trips will see a toll cut or an increase of under $1 in 2025 and about 70% of commercial vehicles will see an increase of $5 or less. The standardization of rates and the move to AVC will not result in additional revenues for the PA Turnpike beyond [2025’s 5 percent rate hike], and the toll schedule keeps the PA Turnpike’s rates at mid-range among tolling agencies across the country.” Complete toll schedules for 2025 and prior years can be downloaded from the PTC website.

“The launch of Open Road Tolling is perhaps the most significant change since the Pennsylvania Turnpike opened in 1940 as ‘America’s First Superhighway’ and continues our legacy as a national leader in transportation,” commented PennDOT secretary and PTC chair Mike Carroll. Commission CEO Mark Compton noted, “For the past 15-years our team has been working tirelessly to make ORT a reality to further meet customers’ expectations for safe, convenient, and seamless travel.”

In The Philadelphia Inquirer, the turnpike’s chief operating officer, Craig Shuey, discusses the significance of the ORT launch and rate structure changes. He also notes that the system transition will allow PTC To start obsolete tollbooth demolition and ramp rehabilitation projects later this year.

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President Biden Prohibits US Steel's Acquisition By Nippon Steel

BNN Bloomberg reports, this morning, President Joe Biden issued an order blocking the proposed sale of United States Steel Corporation (US Steel) to Japan-based Nippon Steel Corporation, “killing a high-profile deal that sparked a political firestorm and tensions between the US and Japan.” In an accompanying statement, the president commented, “A strong domestically owned and operated steel industry represents an essential national security priority and is critical for resilient supply chains. That is because steel powers our country: our infrastructure, our auto industry, and our defense industrial base. Without domestic steel production and domestic steel workers, our nation is less strong and less secure.”

The proposed deal, which originated in 2023, was referred to the White House for scrutiny after an interagency panel tasked with reviewing foreign investments in US companies and properties was unable to reach a decision on the transaction’s national security implications. President Biden’s decision to block the sale is considered a victory for United Steelworkers union leadership.

The order leaves the future of financially challenged US Steel in doubt. However, both that company and Nippon Steel “have signaled that they may challenge the legal grounds of any [sale] block, raising the prospect that the matter will remain in dispute. President-elect Donald Trump has also pledged to block the transaction.”

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Kapsch Completes Installation Of Congestion Charging System In Sweden

Kapsch TrafficCom has taken “a big step toward the completion of one of the biggest urban congestion charging projects in the world on behalf of Swedish traffic authority Trafikverket.” Kapsch announced yesterday that its rollout and testing of a new multi-lane free-flow toll (MLFF) system in Gothenburg is complete.

Each one of the city’s dozens of charging points now has its own portal with cameras and other technical equipment that are part of Kapsch’s replacement of a legacy system. Carolin Treichl, the company’s regional executive vice president, said the new system has started processing over 150 million transactions per year. “Upon finalization, Kapsch TrafficCom will be in charge of operations and maintenance for the next 10 years, with two years of optional extension. Entering the operations phase, the new congestion charging system covers the entirety of the city center, allowing for automatic vehicle identification and enabling the city to manage urban congestion proactively and successfully.”

Kapsch noted that much of its installation work was done at night and on weekends and holidays “to ensure undisturbed system functionality.”

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Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting Starts Sunday

Transport Topics previews the agenda of the Transportation Research Board’s 104th annual meeting, which runs from this Sunday, January 5, through next Thursday, January 9, at the Washington, DC, convention center. Highlights cited in the article include a January 6 afternoon session entitled “U.S. Department of Transportation: Beyond the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: Lasting Legacy in a Time of Transition,” during which senior USDOT leaders including deputy secretary Polly Trottenberg will discuss IIJA implementation.

An overview of the event schedule is posted on the meeting website. The entire program is  now available for browsing and searching online. Registration will remain open throughout the event. The Chair’s Plenary Session will take place Wednesday afternoon, January 8.

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2024 New York State Road And Bridge Maintenance, By The Numbers

New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) touted the state’s annual accomplishments in highway and bridge maintenance in a fact-filled New Year’s Eve news release.

Highlights, as noted by Rockland Daily, include:

• NYSDOT filled more than 1.2 million potholes and maintained 1,802 bridges.
• The New York Thruway Authority invested $321 million to improve 441 lane miles and another $159 million in 18 bridges.
• The governor’s $33 billion, five-year State Capital Plan appropriates $500 million for local roads.

One of the Thruway facilities that received attention was the Warners Road Bridge near Syracuse, which reopened to traffic last week following replacement of the original 70-year-old span. According to The Citizen, the new structure has wider lanes and higher clearance, as well as pedestrian fencing.

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These are just some of the toll industry developments TRN is following.

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