MassDOT announced the ‘ALL VEHICLES’ toll collection lane configuration on the Tobin Bridge will be replaced with ‘E-ZPASS ONLY’ and ‘CASH ONLY’ lanes as of Sunday, October 21, at 10pm.
This change will allow E-ZPass customers to move through the plaza unimpeded as cash customers are directed to dedicated cash lanes. 63% of motorists crossing the Tobin rely on transponders to pay their toll.
“Customers on the Massachusetts Turnpike and at the Airport Tunnels are accustomed to the separate ‘E-ZPASS’ and ‘CASH ONLY’ lanes,” said MassDOT Highway Administrator Frank DePaola. “Tobin commuters will now know what to expect from the drivers in front of them. Predictability will improve safety.”
This change adds flexibility, as lanes designated as ‘E-ZPASS ONLY’ and ‘CASH ONLY’ will be variable to allow MassDOT to better accommodate heavy traffic, emergency incidents or construction on the Tobin. A $44.8 million Tobin Bridge preservation project is currently underway.
This toll collection change is part of the $1.2 million transition from the FastLane to E-ZPass electronic toll collection brand across Massachusetts. Signage has been replaced to reflect the change and the contractor is currently updating the pavement markings at toll plazas from West Stockbridge to Boston.
Response, MassDOT? Have any of you planners actually traveled route one south/Tobin bridge on a weekday morning since the toll collection change? I do every day. It isn't working. Open another EZ-Pass lane already! Yikes.
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Thanks for your comments, which have been forwarded to district Highway and toll collection managers.
Posted by: Angela Hansen | November 29, 2012 at 03:59 PM
I think the majority of the commuters agree with the posters that the EZ Pass only lanes create more of a back up onto Route 1! Only two lanes currently heading into the tolls and those are blocked by EZPass users! It's been a month and no solution yet! When plows appear it will be bumper to bumper from the Jug handle all the way to the tolls!
Posted by: Kelly | November 21, 2012 at 04:16 PM
I don't understand why the toll lanes were changed, it has only made traffic worse (as if that is even possible on the Tobin!). If the infrastructure to accept E-ZPass is already in place in all lanes then why make them Cash Only? Why not have two dedicated E-ZPass Only lanes and make the rest All Vehicles? An overwhelming majority of commuters have E-ZPass, yet now there are only 2 E-ZPass lanes, but 4 Cash Only lanes? Makes no sense. This is obviously some traffic engineer's "genius" idea that failed. Please fix this, it's the least you can do for already ruining people's commutes with your painting project.
Posted by: Austin | November 20, 2012 at 01:01 PM
Yeah! I agree with Angela. They should consider converting some of those cash only booths to E-ZPass since there are many motorists who use E-ZPass. I think that would be more convenient.
Posted by: jelly andrews | November 04, 2012 at 08:13 PM
The news said tonight, on a related note, that the Bridge needed to be closed this evening due to construction tarp-related flying debris, or to that effect. With all this madness, and considering that November has been the end month of current construction phase we've been waiting for, please can they use the event of Sandy as a reason for ending the construction now, as of Wednesday, for the winter. Meanwhile, I, too, don't understand why we cannot have all lanes be E-ZPASS lanes. Wouldn't that make sense, so the passing traffic flows?
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Thank you for your comments. The report of "flying debris" regarding the Tobin was incorrect. There was a loose tarp and the lanes were closed temporarily as a precaution. Will forward your comments on E-ZPass.
Posted by: Eddie | October 29, 2012 at 09:21 PM
Just when I thought it was not possible for my daily commute over the Tobin to get any worse, the MassDOT has found a way! Today was the second day I waited in a long line of traffic to get through the TWO EZPass lanes while the THREE cash only lanes were completely empty. I would urge someone to reconsider this strategy and open additional EZPass lanes if in fact the majority of travelers are using it.
Posted by: Gwen | October 23, 2012 at 09:21 AM
I'm not sure this makes sense. You say the majority of Tobin drivers have a transponder, yet currently of the four or five toll booth that are open there are two designated as E-ZPASS only. Shouldn't there be more E-ZPASS booths and fewer cash only booths?
Posted by: Angela | October 20, 2012 at 04:29 PM
I hope you are planning on opening up all the lanes for us commuters when the plows need to do their jobs as they hold up a lot of traffic in causing us to get to our destinations in a timely manner. We drivers experience this hold up very Winter.
Posted by: Liz | October 20, 2012 at 06:29 AM