Converting Conventional Tolls to ORT

The New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) selected Telvent to install their first open road tolling facility at their largest toll plaza in Hampton NH on I-95. The Hampton plaza was a conventional stop-and-pay toll plaza with 16 lanes, 4 of which were reversible. It operated as a mix of cash collection at toll booths and roll-through lane-based electronic tolling (E-ZPass). The general capacity was about 4,400 vehicles per hour (vph) with 8 lanes, and about 5,100 with 10 lanes (using the reversible lanes in one direction) during high traffic volumes.

During 2008, Saturday northbound traffic levels reached 5,200vph and Sunday southbound 5,600vph - at which point the demand outpaced processing, meaning serious traffic congestion for road users. And this wasn't a condition which was going to improve over time, quite the reverse! Projections put 2020 August peak volumes in the range of 6,000 to 7,000 vph.

HNTB was commissioned by NHDOT and completed an Open Road Tolling (ORT) concept study in December 2008, with subsequent project approval being reached in April 2009. The study put forward the case for ORT allowing quicker trips by transponder-equipped vehicles as the most efficient way to reduce congestion and increase safety at the toll plaza. The solution also highlighted the environmental benefits, with significant reductions in fuel consumption and vehicle emissions due to improved toll plaza throughput.

NHDOT's project is the first ORT conversion on I-95, though Delaware is following suit with a similar ORT conversion under way due for opening in 2011. Hampton's ORT conversion was completed opened to traffic on June 17th 2010, at a project cost of approximately $17M (USD), of which roughly $2M was toll equipment and systems. After the addition of 2 outside lanes, one in each direction, 6 of the inner lanes of the 18 lane toll plaza have been converted to 2 northbound and 2 southbound ORT lanes with shoulders and a central median barrier. The barriers used to separate the ORT lanes from the slow lanes on the sides extend nearly 3,000ft (915m) in length from the centreline of the plaza. An existing staff access tunnel under the toll booths has been left in place to allow toll collectors and technicians to move safely below the ORT lanes.

The ORT equipment is mounted on a dual truss gantry system equipped to handle 4,400 vph in each direction. The gantry spans one adjacent cash lane in each direction as well as the initial 4 ORT lanes creating a total gantry span of around 132ft or 40m. This extension is so the ORT zone can be widened to 6 total lanes in the future, when warranted by vehicle use, without having to rebuild the overhead structure. For initial opening, the plaza configuration includes 4 ORT lanes and 12 single toll lanes. The signage for the ORT lanes will be for E-ZPass transponders only, however, non-transponder equipped vehicles will not be treated as violators. These vehicles will be seen as potential new customers and billed by image based tolling. An invoice for the unpaid transaction will be mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle for the toll due plus a processing fee of $1.00. If unpaid in 30 days a second invoice will be mailed for the toll due plus a processing fee of $1.50. Non-transponder equipped vehicles are not treated as a violator with punitive charges unless the second invoice notice is ignored after 30 days from issuance.

Evaluation of the ORT solution started with a successful holiday test on Memorial Day weekend, lasting a total of 96 hours. This date was significant because, not only did it provide free-flow benefits to motorists on one of the busiest long weekends of the year, but also allowed intensive testing to take place under heavy traffic conditions.

About a third of a million vehicles were handled in that time, slightly more by transponder than cash. The preliminary testing assessment showed no serious faults and that only minor adjustments would be required before the planned full opening of the ORT lanes later the following month.

New Hampshire's technology was provided by Telvent using the Telvent SmartMobilityTM Tolling solution. The Telvent SmartMobilityTM Tolling solution used Mark IV RFID readers and the Idris AT600 technology, for vehicle detection and tracking, classification and license plate image triggering. The loop array included the patented axle loop configuration, which is used to count axles and detect dual tire vehicles that pay a higher per axle toll charge. Sick laser scanners are used to assist Idris with vehicle framing and provide redundant license plate image triggering. License plate images are captured by a JAI Pulnix camera system, that includes 2 front and 1 rear camera per travel lane. The solution relies on parallel zone-controllers collecting two streams of data, providing system and data redundancy, and insuring the collection, protection and availability of all collected transaction and revenue information. The ORT system is managed by Telvent’s Remote Operations and Maintenance System (ROMS), providing real-time information and command control functions for plaza staff and supporting all real time system monitoring and maintenance tracking functions.

Patrick McGowan, head of Telvent North America, stated “The major uncertainty of the Hampton ORT project was 'the New Hampshire winter' making the eight month schedule, from September 2009 through to May 2010, a demanding one, however, the Telvent team successfully met their June 2010 opening date target.

“Telvent has done an excellent job on the implementation of the ORT system at Hampton Plaza, we are delighted and proud of how well Open Road Tolling is working” explained Chris Waszczuk, NHDOT Bureau of Turnpikes Administrator. “This project will make a tremendous difference for drivers, improving their safety, relieving congestion, particularly during peak tourism seasons, and will help to reduce harmful emissions from idling vehicles”.

The company also was recently awarded contracts to implement an ORT system on the SR 520 Bridge in Seattle, WA, as well as to expand the Pocahontas Parkway 895 electronic toll collection system in Virginia. The company has successfully completed other electronic tolling projects for the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority, MTA Bridges and Tunnels, and Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority.

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