Governor Andrew Cuomo's office announced Wednesday that the cashless toll system replacing the longtime booths at both sets of Grand Island bridges will be activated in two weeks. Thruway officials are encouraging motorists to buy an E-Z Pass to improve efficiency, while one local leader was looking forward to the eventual end of toll booths in his town.
When the cashless system takes effect, motorists will pass through a gantry on which scanners will capture images of the cars. E-Z Pass owners will have their tolls, which officials say will be unchanged from the current rates, applied to their accounts. Those without E-Z Pass will be billed.
"What will happen is at 30 days. or thereabouts, after somebody passes through the gantry, we will mail a bill to their address," said Acting Thruway Authority Executive Director Matthew Driscoll. "We will do that again after 60 days and after 100 days."
Tolls still unpaid after 100 days will be subject to a $50 fine. Concerns have been raised about mistaken billing. Driscoll was reminded of problems with the cashless system at the Mario M. Cuomo bridge downstate, which took effect April 2016. He said the system needed improvement and there should be fewer problems at Grand Island. He also explained how to dispute a charging error.
"They'll be able to go to the website and they'll be able to look up the system on which they traveled," Driscoll said. "It will identify the amount they owe, or don't, and that mechanism is how it's addressed."
The toll booths in Tonawanda and Grand Island will be dismantled shortly after the cashless system goes online, Driscoll said. There will be reconfiguration of the roads, including the River Road on-ramp in Tonawanda, carried out in phases. The River Road on-ramp will be closed during the second phase of reconfiguration and reopened upon completion of reconstruction. A timeline for completion of work at both bridges was not revealed.
Governor Andrew Cuomo is seeking to replace toll booths with the cashless gantries throughout the Thruway system. Amherst Town Supervisor Brian Kulpa stated that, as he was advised, the Williamsville toll barrier, Exit 50, is expected to be replaced by the end of 2020.
"What that'll do is relieve congestion on Main Street and Sheridan Drive," Kulpa said. "We're going to see a better flow of freight and better flow of commuter volumes in this corridor."
