The long-talked-about updated toll collection system on the Ohio Turnpike became a reality early Wednesday.

The Ohio Turnpike Commission announced in a news release that as of 2 a.m., the new system includes open road tolling, the removal of all gates in E-ZPass entrance and exit lanes, and enhancements to the customer service center.

The nearly $250 million modernization project features a combination of open road tolling lanes for E-ZPass customers and a gated exit system for non-E-ZPass customers who prefer to pay by cash or with credit card.

Drivers using E-ZPass have been experiencing features of the new toll collection system such as open exit gates in E-Z Pass lanes for about a year already.

The 127 lanes at these interchanges have new electronic tolling components, including sensors and other equipment to read E-ZPass transponders, and to classify vehicles by the number of axles and vehicle height.

Automated toll payment machines, which accept cash and credit cards, were installed at all 20 toll plaza interchanges as well as the four mainline toll plazas.

Under the new toll collection system, nine toll plazas no longer charge tolls.

  • Five of those plazas are in the Valley:
  • Toll Plaza 215 (Lordstown-West) Trumbull County
  • Toll Plaza 216 (Lordstown-East) in Trumbull County
  • Toll Plaza 218 (Niles-Youngstown) in Mahoning County
  • Toll Plaza 232 (Youngstown) in Mahoning County
  • Toll Plaza 234 (Youngstown-Poland) in Mahoning County

These nine interchanges are still accessible to drivers. The toll booths are no longer staffed, which means cash customers entering and exiting these locations will no longer stop to take a toll ticket or pay a toll, and E-ZPass transponders will no longer be read.

Drivers will see overhead signs on the gantry reading, “NO TOLL, KEEP MOVING.”

The Eastgate Toll Plaza at milepost 239 in Mahoning County near the Ohio/Pennsylvania border has become a one-direction flat rate toll plaza.

Eastbound travelers on the Ohio Turnpike will not be charged a toll at Eastgate Toll Plaza.

A flat rate toll will be assessed for both E-ZPass and cash or credit card customers traveling westbound through the renovated toll plaza

Two new plazas, Swanton Toll Plaza in Lucas County and Newton Falls Toll Plaza in Trumbull County, have opened as part of the new system. The two plazas are the new ends of the ticketed toll system.  E-ZPass customers can travel nonstop at highway speeds on the dedicated open road tolling lanes in both directions.

Customers without an E-ZPass traveling eastbound to Swanton Toll Plaza or westbound to Newton Falls Toll Plaza will be required to drive into the cash/credit card lanes on the right side of the plazas, stop, and take a ticket.

Customers without an E-ZPass traveling westbound to Swanton Toll Plaza or eastbound to Newton Falls Toll Plaza will be required to drive into the cash/credit card lanes on the right side of the plazas, stop, and pay their toll.

Under the new system, additional toll schedules have gone into effect.

The new toll rates may be seen by following this link.

https://www.ohioturnpike.org/docs/default-source/schedule-of-tolls/new-toll-system/2024-schedule-of-tolls---new-toll-system.pdf?sfvrsn=e830f2c4_2

Video cameras will read license plates to identify customers who travel through an E-ZPass-only lane when a valid E-ZPass transponder is not detected.

E-ZPass customers who have listed their license plate on a valid E-ZPass account will have their toll charged to their E-ZPass account at the new V-Toll rate, which is higher than the E-ZPass rate.

All other customers will receive a mailed invoice for the new Unpaid Toll rate. Customers without an E-ZPass who mistakenly travel through an E-ZPass lane can pay their toll online. Customers will have 25 days to pay their toll once it is invoiced.

If payment is not received within 30 days, a second invoice will be mailed with an additional $5 charge per unpaid toll. Customers who have not paid their toll after 90 days will be sent to collections and their vehicle registrations at the Ohio BMV will be blocked. Customers will not be permitted to register any vehicles or renew their license plates with the Ohio BMV until their past-due tolls are paid.

The Ohio Turnpike also has automated traffic recorders to count and determine vehicles by class, and weigh-in motion recorders to determine the weight of moving vehicles.