The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission plans to study possible elimination of cash tolls on the highway, but any such move would be years away.

First of all, it’s important to understand that any no-cash tolling system would not mean that you would have to have be signed up for E-Z Pass or some other electronic system. Pennsylvania Turnpike spokesman Carl DeFebo says any no-cash scheme would involve technology similar to that already used by the turnpike to catch violators:

“Where, if you don’t have E-Z Pass and you get into an E-Z Pass lane, we snap a picture of your license plate and send you a violation in the mail.”

In this case, you would get an invoice for the toll in the mail, or a debit system might be created where you put money in an account that is automatically deducted when you use the turnpike.

DeFebo says the study probably won’t begin until later this year or early next year, and would then take a year to complete. Approval, if it comes, would take even more time after that.

Reported by KYW Harrisburg Bureau Chief Tony Romeo.
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