BOSTON — Monday marked a major test for the new electronic tolling system installed on the Massachusetts Turnpike over the weekend. Fortunately, things weren't as bad as officials feared they would be.
Nobody, including the State Highway Administrator, expected it would be easy.
"There is a lot that needs to be done. There will be a lot of inconvenience," said Tom Tinlin, the State Highway Administrator. During the Monday morning commute and over the next few weeks, crews will be working to remove all 23 toll plazas from the Pike, cutting the number of driving lanes in half.
The first part of the transition happened Friday night, when all of the toll booths on the Pike were closed and the switch was made to a fully automated collection system.
Since then, more than a million and a half transactions have been processed without a glitch. More than 75-percent of those transactions involved drivers with an E-ZPass.
"I was freaking out because I didn't know if I was going to get charged extra because they were working on the toll booths," said motorist Alex Beard. If you're like Alex and don't have an easy pass, don't worry, you can still travel the Pike, just don't forget to check the mail for a bill.
Next, crews will demolish and remove all 23 toll plazas on the Pike, a process that's expected to take weeks.
State Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollock told commuters to prepare for an increase in traffic, especially at peak travel times.
"If you are a regular driver on the Mass. Pike, which I am, and many other people are you know where you already hit congestion, it's going to be worse because there are going to be less lanes," the State Transportation Secretary said.
MONDAY MORNING VIEW FROM THE ROAD:
If you don't already have a transponder, here's what you need to know: First of all. don't panic, there's a six-month grace period to sign up. The higher toll charge you pay in the meantime will be put towards your E-ZPass. Right now, you need to go to a service center to get a pass. The state's new website launches tomorrow.
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