Cashless Tolling Along Findlay Connector Begins Sunday

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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- You won't be hearing the sound of cash at the Findlay Connector on the Pennsylvania Turnpike Southern Beltway anymore. That's because, effective Sunday, it's going cashless.

Renee Vid Colburn, public information manager for the Turnpike, says motorists have been forewarned.

"Signs have been out for about a month now," she says. "We've been sending out news releases and we've been holding stakeholder meetings in the community."

Right now, toll plazas like the one at Findlay Connector, are already unmanned. If you're coming through, you just throw your money into the basket and keep going.

But after Sunday, the collection baskets will go away, and you'll be required to use an EZ Pass for the discounted rate, or pay more when you get a bill in the mail for your toll.

Colborn explains the difference: "The toll by plate rate is the equivalent to the cash rate, and the EZ Pass is, of course, discounted. So the EZ Pass rate is about 30 to 35 percent less."

A camera will snap images of your license plate, and the car's owner will get the bill. It will take about a month before the bill arrives, and don't think you'll be able to get away without paying.

"We've been doing pretty well collecting the tolls in other tolling places that have cashless," Colburn said.

The Findley Connector is one of several cashless locations along the Pennsylvania Turnpike, and you should expect to see more in the future. But Colborn says it will take time.

"The goal is to find out what these pilot projects show us. Gather all of the information and see what works and what doesn't," she said. "Make some alterations if needed, and then, after that, we will look at making the entire Turnpike cashless."

"Agencies across the country are introducing cashless systems, and we owe it to customers to continue to use the best technology available in every facet of our operations. We are making good on our promise to innovate and keep customers moving safely," Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission CEO Mark Compton said.