Penn Pike launches Toll I-80 website

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission has taken down its fighting Public-Public Partnership website devoted to attacking the Governor's privatization plan. In its place there is a new website to put the Commission's line on tolling I-80 and Act 44, the state enabling law for the Turnpike's vastly expanded role.

The new site is http://www.paturnpike.com/i80/

Toll systems?

The site doesn't have much on it yet. It does however have a Timeline for I-80 tolling (see nearby). This has research and planning 2007 and 2008, and implementation 2008 to 2011. On tolling they refer to "toll booth locations" being planned and then "toll booth construction."

The Expression of nterest (EOI) document refers only to "gantries" at up to ten tolling points, suggesting full highway speed electronic tolling rather than toll plazas with booths.

Of course it is possible they don't really mean toll booths in the normal sense of the enclosures from which collectors collect cash tolls. Some journalists stretch the term "toll booth" to mean the whole toll plaza.

A Turnpike spokesman tells us that no decisions have been made on the toll system for I-80 except that there will be a maximum of ten toll collection points. The spokesman says he "assumes" I-80 will highway speed electronic tolling under gantries. It may or may not have cash collection and booths. That will be a matter to be decided.

Tolling is set to begin in 2011 if all goes according to plan.

The PTC website has followed us in posting the Turnpike's Expression of Interest (EOI) application to the FHWA.

Survey question

You have to love the PTC's survey question: "What do you like best about the PA Turnpike/I-80 partnership?" It allows a choice between four benefits and "All of the above."

A bit rough on those who don't like it.

TOLLROADSnews 2007-08-24