Anne Arundel County Executive, Drivers Question Effectiveness Of Cashless Tolling At Bay Bridge
ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, Md. (WJZ) -- There's a new plan to help ease traffic on the Bay Bridge as the start of a two-year construction plan could cause nightmares for drivers.
The plan to fix it? Cashless tolling.
MDTA Will Do Cashless Tolling At Bay Bridge Thursdays, Friday During Construction Periods
The $27 million redecking project has already shut down the right lane on the westbound span, and with so many concerns, MTA officials say they're already making adjustments.
"When we see difficulty or an extraordinary traffic problem we use cashless tolls," MTA Executive Director James Ports said.
Starting every Thursday and Friday from noon to 10 p.m. the Bay Bridge will switch to cashless tolling. This means that drivers will be billed $4 by their license plate.
Anne Arundel County Executive Stuart Pittman says that cashless tolling is not enough.
"They said they're going to do two days of electric tolling, but it's the kind where you have to slow down all the way," Pittman said. "Real all-electric tolling is when you remove the booths and you don't have to slow down at all."
Many drivers tell WJZ they're skeptical about the cashless tolling plan.
"I still think it's going to slow down things," Jay Jordan, a school bus driver, said.
The state announced starting in October both the Key Bridge and Hatem Bridge will switch to all-electronic tolling.
Pittman says he plans to push for the state to do the same for the Bay Bridge.
