NEW HOPE, PA – The Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission today released a nearly three-minute video explaining the all-electronic tolling (AET) system that will be used to collect tolls in the southbound direction at the Scudder Falls (I-95) Replacement Bridge when its first completed span opens to traffic sometime in 2019.
The video is posted on YouTube at https://youtu.be/iq_8BEokUrw.
Using video footage, animation, graphics and narration, the video explains how an AET system works as well as the benefits of cashless toll collection. It further explains that commuters using a DRJTBC-affiliated E-ZPass transponder will to pay the lowest toll costs and individuals without any kind of E-ZPass tag will pay the highest tolls.
The video was unveiled last week at two outreach sessions the Commission hosted to take public comment on its recently announced proposed toll schedule for the new Scudder Falls Bridge. The first hearing took place July 19 in Ewing, N.J. and the second on July 21 in Lower Makefild, PA.
The Commission is expected to take action on the proposed toll schedule for the Scudder Falls (I-95) Replacement Bridge at its next meeting, currently scheduled for Sept. 26 at the agency’s Executive Office Building, 2492 River Road, New Hope, PA. Under Commission policy, a hearing and comment process is required to be conducted before any changes may be made to the agency’s toll structure.
(Note: The Commission approved tolling for the Scudder Falls Replacement Bridge in December 2009 and the decision has been upheld on three separate occasions by the Federal Highway Administration. The current hearing process is intended to take comment on the proposed toll rates to be charged at the replacement bridge.)
Proposed Scudder Falls Replacement Bridge Toll Schedule The proposed base toll for an E-ZPass-equipped passenger vehicle crossing the Scudder Falls Replacement Bridge would be $1.25. Frequent commuters who make 16 tolled crossings in a respective month across Commission toll bridges would be provided an automatic 40-percent discount to 75 cents per tolled trip, provided the transactions are recorded on the same DRJTBC-affiliated E-ZPass tag. (A DRJTBC-affiliated E-ZPass is any tag issued by the New Jersey E-ZPass Group, which provides customer service and violations processing for the DRJTBC, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority [NJTA], the Delaware River Port Authority [DRPA], the Delaware River & Bay Authority [DRBA], the South Jersey Transportation Authority [SJTA] and the Burlington County Bridge Commission [BCBC]).
Passenger vehicles without E-ZPass will have images of their license plates captured by one of the high-speed cameras mounted to the AET tolling gantry that is planned to be constructed on the Pennsylvania side of the replacement bridge. The registered owner of the vehicle would receive an invoice for all trips made through the Scudder Falls tolling point in a given billing period. The passenger vehicle Toll-by-Plate rate would be $2.60 per trip. The higher toll is applied to cover the additional costs of processing non-E-ZPass transactions.
Two different per-axle base rates are proposed for trucks and other non-passenger vehicles. The base E-ZPass rate for light trucks – two-axle vehicles eight feet or above in height and/or with more than four wheels – would be $3.50 per axle. For heavy trucks – vehicles with three or more axles – the base E-ZPass rate would be $4.25. As is the case at the Commission’s seven existing toll bridges, a 10-percent discount would be applied for trucks paying tolls with a commercial E-ZPass tag during off-peak hours (9:01 p.m. to 5:59 a.m.).
The Toll-by-Plate rate for two-axle trucks would be $8.35. The Toll-by-Plate rate for heavy trucks would be $4.75 per axle.
The proposed toll schedule for the Scudder Falls Replacement Bridge may be accessed directly at www.drjtbc.org/scuddertolls.
Individuals who missed the first two hearings may still submit written comments through any of the following methods: – Email – send to communityaffairs@drjtbc.org – Commission website – go to the “contact us” portal at www.drjtbc.org (direct URL is www.drjtbc.org/comment. – US Mail – address to Department of Community Affairs, DRJTBC Executive Offices, 2492 River Rd., New Hope, PA. 18938.
The deadline for comments is August 29, 2016. More information about the project is available at www.scudderfallsbridge.com. The project’s information/comment line may be reached toll-free at 855-I-95-SPAN (855-495-7726).
