Thruway Tolls To Go Cashless At Yonkers

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY — Cashless tolling will go live at the Yonkers Toll Barrier on the New York State Thruway early Nov. 16. Switchover operations will start at 6 p.m. the night before, weather permitting.

The Yonkers Toll Barrier will become the Thruway's fifth cashless tolling location, the third in the Hudson Valley.

• Cashless Tolling Starts Friday On The NY Thruway At Woodbury
• Cashless Tolls Start Across the Tappan Zee

Cashless tolling is expected to improve traffic flow on the Thruway corridor that serves more than 17.5 million vehicles per year, which accounts for more than 6.5 percent of the Thruway's overall toll traffic volume.

"This is great news for Yonkers, especially as we enter one the highest traveled seasons of the year," Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano said. "With Yonkers being the gateway to the Hudson Valley, there is no doubt the cashless toll here will better move the flow of traffic in our region. Thank you to New York State for recognizing the need to upgrade our infrastructure, benefitting our residents and visitors alike."

When cashless tolling goes live, motorists traveling through the Yonkers Toll Barrier will drive under a gantry with 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 the toll.

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 will be mailed to the registered owner of each vehicle.

Customers who pay using Tolls By Mail will pay the same toll rate as previously paid by cash customers, and E-ZPass customers with New York accounts will continue to receive a 5 percent discount.

The official switch to cashless tolling is expected to take place shortly after midnight Nov. 16 following a brief traffic stoppage for northbound and southbound motorists on I-87.

Once the new tolling system is fully operational, the existing Yonkers Toll Plaza will be removed in several phases, which will result in altered traffic patterns. For a short period of time, drivers will continue to travel through existing toll lanes at reduced speeds without stopping until the booths are removed and the road reconfiguration is completed. Drivers are strongly urged to use caution around the toll plaza during this time, as it is an active construction zone. The posted speed limit when traveling through the toll lanes will be 20 MPH.

The Yonkers Toll Barrier will become the Thruway's fifth cashless tolling location, in addition to the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, Grand Island Bridges and Harriman Toll Barrier.

"New York is leading the nation by making historic investments in infrastructure, ensuring our transportation network is fit for the 21st century," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in the announcement. "The implementation of cashless tolling in Yonkers is a critical step in our efforts to minimize traffic disruptions, ease congestion and decrease carbon emissions, creating a smarter, greener New York for generations to come."

All remaining fixed toll barriers in the lower Hudson Valley will be converted to cashless tolling by the end of 2018. Those are New Rochelle (I-95) and Spring Valley (commercial traffic only).

The Thruway's ticketed system (I-87/I-90 from exit 16 - exit 50 and exit 55 - exit 60) is scheduled to be converted to cashless tolling by the end of 2020.

The conversion to cashless tolling in the Hudson Valley hasn't been trouble-free.

Many drivers crossing the Tappan Zee were freaked out by rapidly accelerating penalties and fines on unpaid tolls. Many had moved without updating their registration with the DMV: They didn't receive their bills in the mail.

As the amount of unpaid fines hit $8 million, the state declared a 3-week amnesty program in February 2018.

SEE ALSO:

• Cashless Tolls Start Across the Tappan Zee
• Toll Plaza Goes Out After Cashless Tolls Come In
• Crackdown on Repeat Toll Violators Underway: NY DMV
• Millions In Toll Fines on the MCB: Amnesty For Drivers
• Deadline Looming For Cashless Toll Amnesty
• Pols Criticize Cashless Toll Company; NYTA Responds

As part of the Thruway's transition to cashless tolling, the Thruway Authority is encouraging all motorists to sign up for E-ZPass NY and save on tolls across the state, including a 5 percent discount along the entire 570-mile New York State Thruway.

E-ZPass offers a variety of discount plans and payment options to fit the needs of every motorist, including Pay Per Trip, which is linked to a bank account, not a credit card, and pays tolls incurred once per day and a prepaid E-ZPass account balance is not required.

E-ZPass On-the-Go tags can be purchased at 26 Thruway Service Areas system-wide, more than 800 locations across the state including select grocery and convenience stores, and government offices, state-operated DMV offices, and select cash toll lanes across the Thruway's 570-mile system.

Image via Google Maps

Get Patch’s Daily Newsletter and Real Time News Alerts
>> Check Out The Hudson Valley Patches' Facebook Pages