Aug 24
A Toll Road No Longer
The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) board has decided to cease collecting cash tolls on US Highway 183A by the end of 2008. According to CTRMA, most of those drivers who use 183A on a regular basis pay using the TxTag system, which collects information about tolls electronically. CTRMA ascertained that it costs almost as much to run cash collection booths as it collects in tolls from those who use TxTag and so they elected to eliminate the cash booths as early as November 2008.
This is not to say they’re not going to stop collecting tolls altogether; they will just be going to an electronic means of collection – those drivers who have TxTags, Tolltags, or EZ-Tags will carry on as usual – as the drivers who do not have tags will still pay, but through the mail. CTRMA plans to put a camera system in place for tagless cars. They will have their license plates photographed at the booth and will receive a toll bill in the post. CTRMA predicts a savings of $1 million per year through this system.
More roads are in the plans for cashless toll collection as CTRMA sees the savings inherent in eliminating the cash collection booths. The CTRMA has plans to use electronic toll collection on any future toll roads, including the new Manor Expressway which is slated to begin construction in 2009. The Manor Expressway will run parallel to US Highway 290 to the east of the city of Austin.