New $7.6 million toll collection system installation underway at Memorial Bridge

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DMBTollPlazaDelaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA) officials announced that the installation of a  new  $7.6 million toll collection system at the Delaware Memorial BridgeToll Plaza is under way.

Some traffic delays are possible. Construction work on roads  around the bridge may also lead to delays.

Completion is expected to be completed in September. No physical changes to the toll plaza, such as higher-speed lanes,  are part of the project.

The construction and installation work is being performed by Xerox State & Local Solutions, Inc. of  Germantown, MD.

According to  Gerry DiNicola Owens, chief information officer for the DRBA, the new toll system is state-of-the-art.  “Our current toll system has served us well, but it has reached the end of its useful life,” Owens said.  “Like the existing system, all lanes will be capable of accepting cash or E-ZPass; however, the new system is more technologically advanced and will be more accurate with vehicle classifications.”

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“The transponder reader and antenna equipment will be replaced with new multi-protocol equipment, which effectively positions the Delaware Memorial Bridge for the evolution of national interoperability that has been mandated by Congress and is quickly gaining momentum,” Owens said.

The upgraded toll collection system also will benefit customers by reducing billing issues resulting from misclassifications and faulty equipment, and by improving signage to allow drivers to find more easily the correct lane.

During the conversion process, multiple toll lanes will close in stages for the installation of the lane equipment.  All lane signage will be exchanged, and signs added to cover lanes 1 – 12.  While DRBA engineers have designed the project to minimize traffic delays to the extent possible, motorists should expect to experience them from time-to-time.

The Delaware Memorial Bridge’s first toll system with electronic toll collection, installed by Lockheed Martin IMS, was launched on July 18, 2001.  In 2015, more than 70 percent of all Delaware Memorial Bridge transactions were through electronic toll collection. Total system transactions averaged 17 million annually.

Xerox is a  provider of transportation technology services worldwide, including tolling, parking, mass transit and photo enforcement services supporting governments in more than 30 countries.

For more information, visit www.drba.net.

 

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