CHARLESTON — A new tolling system on the West Virginia Turnpike could begin having an impact on the 88-mile highway next year.
Parkways Authority Executive Director Jeff Miller said testing is underway.
“We’ve been performing testing on one of the lanes right now. That’s gone very well. Travelers can see that new digital display board at the Ghent (toll plaza) lane 1,” Miller said. “We’ve got new equipment in there. We’ll slowly start commissioning each lane.”
Miller said he expects the entire system to be in place at all three toll plazas some time in 2024.
“It’s really going to help us,” Miller said.
Parkways Authority members gave approval in April 2022 to a $24.8 million contract with technology company TransCore to develop and install the new system. The current tolling system has been around since 2008.
The new system includes a quicker way to process transactions, including some new payment features, debit and credit cards are part of the testing.
“We hope and ultimately expect that that will help speed up transactions and help get the traveling public through the toll facilities quicker,” Miller said. “We’re really in critical need of upgrading our tolling system and adding all of the hardware and software in there that’s necessary to help us perform our jobs better.”
Miller said E-ZPass remains the quickest, most efficient way to move through the Turnpike’s three main tollbooths. An unlimited use pass can be purchased for $26.25 a year. Tolls are $4.25 per toll booth for passenger cars without an E-ZPass.
Miller told state lawmakers in a July 2022 meeting that tolling system project is comprehensive and time consuming.
“This is very complex,” Miller said at the time. “There’s factory acceptance on the testing and each lane has to be commissioned.”
