I-78 Open Road Tolling

The Commission is working to implement Express E-ZPass/Open Road Tolling (ORT) at its I-78 river crossing.  Under ORT, motorists equipped with E-ZPass will have the option of paying their tolls at highway speeds.  The Commission's goal is to have the new electronic toll collection system in place by the Memorial Day weekend.  Once installed, motorists equipped with E-ZPass will be able to pay their tolls by passing through an array of high-speed transponder readers, avoiding the necessity of slowing down or stopping. 

Customers at this facility should make preparations for potential traffic impacts associated with the onset of construction activities for this project beginning on the evening of Friday, January 8.  The first phase of work will require the closing of four toll booth lanes at the I-78 toll plaza on January 8, 9 and 10.  This will leave only three toll booths operational at the plaza.  Although throughput will be improved by the lifting of toll gates for this initial set-up phase to put a protected project work zone in place, there is still is a strong possibility of traffic delays.  After completion of the work-zone set-up stage, the toll plaza will operate for slightly more than four months with only four toll-collection lanes.  This also could cause traffic delays -- especially during peak travel periods.  The Commission suggests that motorists consider using the Easton-Phillipsburg (Route 22) Toll Bridge as an alternative route when traveling I-78 westbound during this construction project.

To raise public awareness of the impending project and gather public comment, the Commission held an Open House at the Easton Quality Inn in Easton, PA.  The session gave area residents, commuters and other interested parties an opportunity to look over project renderings, examine a designated alternate travel route, obtain a project fact sheet, ask questions of the project team, and provide comment on construction-related traffic impacts and other issues.

The materials at the Open House are available for viewing by clicking on the following links:

- Project Fact Sheet
- I-78 Open House Display Boards
- Suggested Alternative Route

The I-78 toll plaza is located in Williams Township, Northampton County, Pa., collecting tolls in the westbound direction.  The plaza currently consists of seven toll-collection lanes -- five mixed-mode (cash and E-Z Pass) and two E-ZPass-only.  The toll lanes are numbered one to seven, going from right to left when approaching the plaza from the east.

The I-78 ORT/Express E-ZPass project will create two express lanes at the toll plaza and make other changes to the existing toll plaza so the Commission can process more transactions per hour and reduce traffic congestion at the busy crossing.  Three existing toll plaza lanes will be removed to provide for construction of the ORT/Express E-ZPass lanes.  The result, however, will be a net increase in the number of vehicles that the facility can process, reducing the number and durations of traffic backups at the location. 

The Commission also is seeking to improve traffic flow at the toll plaza early next year by converting to a violation enforcement system of high-resolution cameras and lights to identify and track toll violators. Once in place, this new system will enable the Commission to remove the gates it currently uses to prevent toll scofflaws from driving up toll costs for the law-abiding public.

The Commission on September 29 awarded a design-build contract to A.P. Construction of Philadelphia to reconfigure the I-78 toll plaza so it may provide ORT/Express E-ZPass service.

The work includes the partial demolition and removal of the toll plaza canopy and E-Z Pass signs and supports over the three left lanes at the toll plaza (lanes 5, 6 and 7); removal of the HVAC equipment in the canopy at existing lane 5; removal of the columns, toll islands, and toll booth at existing lanes 5, 6 and 7; removal of the stairs and platform at the south end of the existing canopy.

Other proposed project elements are as follows:

• Design and construction of the relocation of the existing fans, heaters, louvers located in the existing canopy fascias; design and construction of the relocation of existing HVAC equipment serving lanes 4 and 3 to fit within the area remaining in the canopy and connecting the relocated HVAC equipment back to the toll booths at lanes 4 and 3.
• Design and construction of new canopy fascias with materials to match the architectural style and color of the remaining canopy; design and construction of a new access stairway, walkway and entrance door on the north side of the canopy.
• Procurement and installation, including wiring for communication and power, of Daktronics (light-emitting diode variable-message) signs on the canopy.
• Design and construction of the sign support system for the Daktronics signs located on the canopy over lanes 1 through 4; four new overhead sign structures conforming to PennDOT 4 post 4 chord truss standard designs and drawings shall be designed, fabricated and constructed including foundations, sign panels, sign lighting including utility services, and temporary excavation support, as required.
• Removal of two existing overhead sign structures and one ground mounted sign.
• Fabrication, erection and construction of a space frame canopy over the two proposed ORT lanes, galvanized steel support system for the space frame canopy, E-Z Pass mounting bracket assemblies and drilled shaft foundations.
• Design and construction of a dowelled concrete barrier curb system to separate the ORT lanes from the conventional toll lanes and provide a clear passage for ORT patrons at the toll plaza.
• Revisions to existing storm drainage at the toll plaza.
• Restriping the approach and following westbound roadway to facilitate the new ORT lanes.
• Design of, modification to, and installation of electrical systems, at the toll plaza and surrounding areas, to support the installation of the ORT system equipment; this work includes, but is not limited to, conduit, power wiring, communication wiring, panel boards, circuit breakers, sign lighting, electrical utility services and junction boxes within the limits of the work shown on the conceptual plans.

The I-78 ORT contractor is to coordinate its efforts with the In-Lane Toll System Provider as selected by the Commission to procure and install the tolling equipment for the project.

The contractor also is required to provide maintenance and protection of traffic during staged construction.

A public-involvement program -- primarily aimed at raising public-awareness of the project, potential traffic delays and long-term benefits -- will be conducted during the project's planning stages.  The outreach includes updating this Web page and an open house/stakeholders meeting.

Members of the public who may have questions or concerns about the project are urged to contact:

Richard McClellan
Director of Community Affairs
(267) 790-1063
rmcclellan@drjtbc.org

Under the design-build contract, all construction work at the plaza is to be completed by June 30, 2010.

Interstate 78 crosses the Delaware River approximately two miles south of the confluence of the Lehigh and Delaware River, connecting Northampton County in Pennsylvania with Warren County in New Jersey. The bridge is located approximately five miles south of Easton, Pennsylvania and Phillipsburg, New Jersey. The mainline roadway includes three travel lanes in each direction.

The toll facility on the Pennsylvania side is approximately one mile west of the Delaware River. Westbound I-78 is a three-lane freeway in New Jersey, widening to four lanes in the vicinity of the Cedarville Road overpass, prior to expanding to the seven lanes approximately 800 feet from the existing toll plaza.

The Commission opened its I-78 toll bridge 20 years ago on November 21, 1989.  It is the newest of the 20 bridges owned and operated by the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission.  The structure serves as a link between Newark, N.J. and Harrisburg, Pa. and is heavily used by long-haul truckers going to and from the Newark/Elizabeth ports region.  The bridge and its connecting roadways significantly reduced the traffic congestion previously experienced in the Easton/Phillipsburg area.

The Commission retained HNTB Corp. to develop the Concept Study Report and Plans for constructing ORT lanes at I-78.  Based on that research, the Commission decided that it would be more cost-effective and quicker to put an ORT-lite type system at the I-78 toll plaza -- the project now on track to bring ORT service to the facility by Memorial Day 2010.

 

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