The new all-electronic toll (AET) system at New York State’s Tappan Zee Bridge has now gone live and started collecting revenue on one of the busiest and most vital commercial and commuter highways in northeast USA.
Kapsch TrafficCom installed the multi-lane free-flow (MLFF), high-availability, and high-accuracy AET system over the past winter, after the system successfully passed a rigorous series of commissioning and integration tests. The on-schedule opening of the tolled, cashless traffic lanes eliminates the need for drivers to stop at tolling points, and demonstrates Kapsch’s successful commitment to the New York State Thruway Authority (NYSTA), which operates and manages the bridge. The opening commences NYSTA’s implementation of more seamless traffic flow along the 570-mile (917km) long Thruway, which is one of the busiest tolled travel zones in the USA, with traffic volumes of up to 140,000 vehicles per day.
“We are both a supplier and supporter of the industry’s continued conversion to all-electronic tolling, which has proven to decrease greenhouse gas emissions, while lowering state operating costs and improving the overall road user driving experience,” said Chris Murray, president of Kapsch TrafficCom North America. “The Tappan Zee Bridge site exemplifies the State of New York’s determination to make AET a reality.”
The NYSTA’s interim executive director and COO, Maria Lehman, commented, “Thanks to the hard work of Kapsch, Thruway employees, and our partners on the New NY Bridge project, we have successfully implemented a state-of-the-art all-electronic tolling system on the Tappan Zee Bridge. The new cashless tolling system eases congestion in an area that has historically seen high levels of traffic volume, and allows motorists to pay their toll at highway speeds.”
Kapsch has also announced that its Australian subsidiary has been contracted by the State of Queensland to deliver the Tolling Roadside System for the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing (TSRC) Project. The 10-year contract comprises the supply and operation of the roadside tolling system for TSRC, and is valued at 6m (US$6.8m). The 25-mile (41km) long TSRC will be a bypass road to the north of Toowoomba, and will connect the Warrego Highway from Helidon in the east, to Charlton, and to the Gore Highway at Athol in the west.
Design and construction of the TSRC is currently underway under a Public Private Partnership (P3) between the State of Queensland and a private sector consortium. Kapsch will deliver the latest in cutting-edge tolling technology, based on the company’s single gantry multi-lane free-flow (MLFF) platform, and next-generation vision technology for both vehicle detection and classification (VDC) and ANPR, along with a comprehensive 10-year services agreement for its operation.
“Australia is a growing and interesting market. Road authorities and state departments recognize the significance and possibilities of intelligent mobility and transportation solutions,” explained André F Laux, Kapsch’s chief operating officer. “With this contract we have secured our fifth multi-lane free-flow tolling project in Queensland, joining the AirportLink, Legacy Way, CLEM7 and Go Between Bridge.”
