Conduent Transportation has completed a modernised toll collection infrastructure for the Ohio Turnpike.
Conduent upgraded 216 lanes on the 241-mile-long turnpike to include self-service and collector-operated toll plazas, as well as open-road, automated tolling options for vehicles using E-ZPass transponders.
The new system, managed by the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission (OTIC), will help increase traffic flow and vehicle throughput, while providing for operational efficiencies – all leading to more convenience and an improved experience for motorists. According to OTIC, the modernisation is the largest construction project in Ohio Turnpike history since the toll road was completed in 1955.
“The Conduent team has shown great partnership, professionalism and expertise throughout our implementation and go-live of the modernised toll collection system on the Ohio Turnpike,” says Ferzan M. Ahmed, P.E., executive director at OTIC. “Working closely with our staff, Conduent has implemented Ohio’s first open road tolling system that will help increase traffic flow and provide operational efficiencies.”
As a key part of the implementation, Conduent installed and will maintain state-of-the-art, open-road tolling lanes for E-ZPass customers, and separate lanes with Automated Toll Payment Machines that accept coins, cash, and credit or debit cards. The machines will be equipped in the future to enable contactless payments using smartphones and digital wallets.
The open-road tolling solution, meanwhile, incorporates LiDAR (light detection and ranging)-based scanners with proven performance and accuracy. Automated license plate recognition technology will also be used to account for vehicles driving through E-ZPass lanes without a transponder.
“Since 2020, our team has partnered with OTIC to make this new tolling infrastructure a reality, and we are proud to complete such an important project on one of the longest-running toll roads in the country,” says Adam Appleby, group president, public sector solutions. “Today’s announcement reinforces our leadership in providing tolling solutions that bring lasting value for agencies and the customers who experience the true benefits of modern mobility.”
Photo: OTIC
