| RELEASE: CONTACT: |
IMMEDIATE Sande Snead (804) 225-4491 Sande.snead@VDOT.Virginia.gov Dawn Eischen (804) 524-6179 |
CO-0661 Nov. 29, 2006 |
TOLL VIOLATION CAMERAS IN TESTING PHASE
Toll gates no longer needed in most places
RICHMOND — Thanks to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT’s) new statewide toll violation enforcement system, Smart Tag/E-ZPass users will no longer have to stop for toll gates in most places, and will be able to move more quickly through the lanes.
Cameras to catch toll violators are in place on the Powhite Parkway Extension in the Richmond area, the Dulles Toll Road in Northern Virginia and the Coleman Bridge in Hampton Roads. The toll violation system is in testing mode through the end of the year. Toll violation notices will be sent out beginning in early 2007.
At that time, toll booth gates will not be used in electronic toll lanes except where necessary for safety reasons.
Notices will state the date of the violation and will include a photo of the license plate taken at the time of the violation. Violators will be asked to pay the toll amount and will be assessed the toll plus a $25 administrative fee. There are appeals procedures to follow for cases of mistaken identity, sold or stolen cars and leased or rental vehicles.
To ensure the privacy of motorists, all records related to violations will be purged within
30 days of being paid and reconciled.
Motorists with three or more violations who receive violation notices, but do not remit payments will be subject to civil fines and could have their vehicle registration blocked when they attempt to renew at the Department of Motor Vehicles.
“The toll violation cameras became necessary because we were losing more than $1.4 million annually in toll violations,” said Deborah Brown, VDOT’s Director of Innovative Finance and Revenue Operations. “The good news is that the deployment of this technology will allow more toll facilities to provide ‘express lanes,’ which do not rely on gates or other physical barriers to ensure payment of tolls. This will reduce congestion associated with toll plazas.”
Toll violation cameras have been used on the Pocahontas Parkway in the Richmond area since opening in 2002. The parkway is now privately owned.
For more information about Smart Tag/E-ZPass, go to smart-tag.com.
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Cameras to catch toll violators are in place on the Powhite Parkway Extension in the Richmond area, the Dulles Toll Road in Northern Virginia and the Coleman Bridge in Hampton Roads. The toll violation system is in testing mode through the end of the year. Toll violation notices will be sent out beginning in early 2007.
At that time, toll booth gates will not be used in electronic toll lanes except where necessary for safety reasons.
Notices will state the date of the violation and will include a photo of the license plate taken at the time of the violation. Violators will be asked to pay the toll amount and will be assessed the toll plus a $25 administrative fee. There are appeals procedures to follow for cases of mistaken identity, sold or stolen cars and leased or rental vehicles.
To ensure the privacy of motorists, all records related to violations will be purged within
30 days of being paid and reconciled.
Motorists with three or more violations who receive violation notices, but do not remit payments will be subject to civil fines and could have their vehicle registration blocked when they attempt to renew at the Department of Motor Vehicles.
“The toll violation cameras became necessary because we were losing more than $1.4 million annually in toll violations,” said Deborah Brown, VDOT’s Director of Innovative Finance and Revenue Operations. “The good news is that the deployment of this technology will allow more toll facilities to provide ‘express lanes,’ which do not rely on gates or other physical barriers to ensure payment of tolls. This will reduce congestion associated with toll plazas.”
Toll violation cameras have been used on the Pocahontas Parkway in the Richmond area since opening in 2002. The parkway is now privately owned.
For more information about Smart Tag/E-ZPass, go to smart-tag.com.
(END)
Page last modified: Nov. 29, 2006
