The Final NYS Thruway Toll Booth Is Gone, So How Does It Work? [VIDEO]
And then there were none. New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced yesterday (8/30) that the final toll booth on the New York State Thruway has been removed. The Westfield toll booth at Exit 60 was the last remaining toll booth. Check out the videos below.
It seems like an insignificant story, but is it really? It's at the least, a paragraph in any future book about the history of New York highways. The final booth removal makes way for the completion of a cashless system on the New York State Thruway.
The cost for this new cashless system project came in at $355 million according to Governor Kathy Hochul's announcement. 52 toll booths across the freeway system were removed along with 250 toll booths.
So, how does it work now? The New York State Thruway Authority website states that if you have an E-ZPass, nothing changes. Otherwise, whenever you pass under a tolling gantry, a camera will read your license plate and you will be sent a bill in the mail.
The website does mention that the E-ZPass is a better deal since it will save you 30 percent versus the license plate read. And the pay by mail will also include a $2 dollar administrative surcharge.
This new cashless system is designed to make traveling on the New York State Thruway better in terms of reduced congestion, improved safety, and reduced air pollution according to the Thruway Authority. And make sure to pay that bill you receive by mail in a timely manner.
You will have 30 days to pay, otherwise, late fees will accumulate. To see how the billing system works and what your bill would look like, check out the New York State Thruway Authority website, and happy traveling!
via Governor Kathy Hochul, New York State Thruway Authority