The Kapsch TrafficCom All-Electronic Toll (AET) system at the Tappan Zee Bridge went live and began collecting toll revenue on Sunday 24 April 2016, at 1AM EST in South Nyack, New York.
Kapsch installed this multi-lane free-flow (MLFF), high-availability, and high-accuracy AET system over the past winter after the system successfully passed a rigorous series of commissioning and integration tests.
The on-schedule opening of these tolled, cashless traffic lanes eliminates the need for drivers to stop at tolling points, and demonstrates Kapsch’s successful commitment to the New York State Thruway Authority (NYSTA), which operates and manages the bridge. The opening commences NYSTA’s implementation of more seamless traffic flow along the Thruway, which is one of the busiest and most vital commercial and commuter highways in the Northeast.
"Kapsch is both a supplier and supporter of the industry’s continued conversion to all electronic tolling which has proven to decrease greenhouse gas emissions while lowering state operating costs and improving the overall road user driving experience," said Chris Murray, president Kapsch TrafficCom North America. "The Tappan Zee Bridge site exemplifies the State of New York’s determination to make AET a reality."
"Thanks to the hard work of Kapsch, Thruway employees and our partners on the New NY Bridge project, we have successfully implemented a state-of-the-art all-electronic tolling system on the Tappan Zee Bridge," said Thruway Authority interim executive director and COO Maria Lehman, P.E. "The new cashless tolling system eases congestion in an area that has historically seen high levels of traffic volume and allows motorists to pay their toll at highway speeds."
The South Nyack site hosts the highest traffic volume on the entire 570-mile Thruway, and is one of the busiest tolled travel zones in the US, with traffic volumes of up to 140,000 vehicles per day.