EZPass on Burlington County Bridge Commission
Steve M.
Bridge Commission? I could be mistaken on this one, but, I think I heard a
rumor that the EZPass system was supposed to have been put in place by July,
2002, but, that has come and gone.
Me
<vpSi9.35513$1C2.1...@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net>,
"Steve M." <steve...@worldnet.att.net> wrote:
Yes. This was covered in a story in one of the local Philly newspapers
last winter. EZPass is coming to all of the BBC's bridges. They're
already installing the equipment on the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge. I rarely
use the Burlington Bristol Bridge so I don't know what they're doing
on that bridge.
Rush Wickes
"Steve M." <steve...@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
news:vpSi9.35513$1C2.1...@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
Article on the topic from this july:
County bridge commission takes go-slow approach to E-ZPass
By Kathleen Cannon
Burlington County Times staff writer
TRENTON - The Burlington County Bridge Commission has learned a few things
from state government about how not to build and run E-ZPass.
The commission hopes it will not repeat the same mistakes.
The commission runs the Tacony-Palmyra and Burlington-Bristol bridges.
Bridge commission spokesman Bob Stears refused to say yesterday when the
automated toll-collection system on the two spans would be ready. The
commission is being cautious because it believes rushing the job could lead
to problems such as those experienced by New Jersey on its toll roads,
Stears said.
Gov. James E. McGreevey announced yesterday the state is negotiating with a
new single contractor to run the problem-plagued system and will begin
charging E-ZPass users $1 a month to pay down its $400 million debt.
The system uses computer technology to automatically deduct toll charges
from prepaid accounts each time sticker-equipped cars pass through unstaffed
E-ZPass tollbooths.
Whitman administration officials projected using revenue from fines against
toll cheats to pay the original contractor, a subsidiary of WorldCom Inc.,
to install the system along the New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State
Parkway. The fine revenue fell far short, leading to the deficit.
The county bridge commission projects E-ZPass compliance will be high on its
two spans, and therefore proposes to pay its contractor with operating
expenses derived from toll revenue, Stears said.
It also is doing the job in-house. The commission's longtime engineering
consultant, Steinman Engineering, a subsidiary of Parsons Transportation
Group, installing E-ZPass at both bridges.
Delays in finishing the job are self-imposed as the system is tested and
retested during construction, the spokesman said.
"As we started getting into this, we started to see it blow up, so we said
take this slow,'' he said.
E-ZPass signs were installed recently at the Burlington-Bristol Bridge,
Stears said.
July 12, 2002
Rush Wickes
"Steve M." <steve...@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
news:vpSi9.35513$1C2.1...@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
A blurb from the Burlington County Times recently stated that December of
this year (2002) will be the launch date for E-ZPass at the Tacony Palmyra
and Burlington-Bristol Bridge spans.
--
Rush Wickes -- remove the '-' to reply via e-mail
Blacksburg, VA
Scott Estrin
although all civil work seems to be done, E-Z Pass wasn't there. I asked
the toll collector, and he reached his arm out of the booth and tapped a
paper sign that read "NO EZ PASS INFO".
I guess they're really taking their time with this. Anyone know where I
can find out about this?
Scott
"Rush Wickes" <ru...@rush-w.com> wrote in news:Bkxl9.269$4c.117@fe01:
Rush Wickes
"Scott Estrin" <scottestrin-at-...@nospam.net> wrote in message
news:Xns92F78C1906...@216.166.71.239...
> I crossed the Burlington Bristol Bridge the day after Christmas, and
> although all civil work seems to be done, E-Z Pass wasn't there. I asked
> the toll collector, and he reached his arm out of the booth and tapped a
> paper sign that read "NO EZ PASS INFO".
>
> I guess they're really taking their time with this. Anyone know where I
> can find out about this?
Local newspaper articles have mentioned that the Burlington County Bridge
Commission - owners of the two spans, is concerned about the reliability of
violation enforcement software. They wanted to get a version for their
E-ZPass system which was not going to spit out false violations, since those
are expensive to pursue.