The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission has begun demolishing toll plazas along sections that started using the open road tolling system in January.
Changes to the СŷƵ interchange will come this summer. PTC spokesperson Melissa Orbanek said construction to take down the canopy and the rest of the structure is scheduled to start in August. When the booths are removed, motorists can flow freely between Route 22 and Interstate 476 without having to slow down for the narrow lanes.
The first dismantling started this week with the Pocono interchange (exit 95) in Carbon County along the Northeast Extension. The work was done overnight, early Sunday morning.
“The PA Turnpike has been a leader in transportation from the day we opened in 1940 as ‘America’s First Superhighway’ and while traditional tollbooths made practical sense then, we now have more advanced and efficient systems that better serve today’s 21st century customers,” Turnpike CEO Mark Compton said. “The switch to [open road tolling] modernizes the Pennsylvania Turnpike for today. We look forward to providing customers with a safer and more convenient travel experience on the PA Turnpike and better serving the communities we touch along the way.”
The system allows travelers to pay tolls without having to slow down. Tolls are charged electronically as motorists drive at highway speed beneath gantries between interchanges.
Tolls will be paid either by E-ZPass or toll by plate — a photo of the vehicle’s license plate is taken at a gantry and a bill is mailed to the driver. Sensors in the road and gantry determine the class of vehicle and how much to charge.
The system is in effect in the eastern part of the state. It will launch on the turnpike’s western section in 2027; tollbooths will be fully removed across the system by the end of 2028.
During demolitions, state police and turnpike personnel will be positioned nearby to help drivers, and signs will provide information on traffic patterns. Motorists are encouraged to plan travel accordingly. Work schedules are subject to change based on weather conditions.
Removal of tollbooths and the reconstruction of interchanges will continue east of Reading and on the Northeast Extension through 2026.
