Conversion to All-Electronic Toll Collection Proceeds

The NTTA is moving forward on converting the remainder of its System to all-electronic, or cashless, toll collection (all-ETC) before the end of the year.

Construction on the Dallas North Tollway from Interstate 635 to Parker Road will begin in late May/early June 2010. Initial construction will focus on installing the new main lane gantry (MLG) at Trinity Mills Road and the new MLG just south of Parker Road. Although traffic will shift during this first phase of construction, all six main lanes of traffic will remain open during peak travel times.

Several outreach initiatives were launched over the last month with more to follow as the project progresses. On May 14, the NTTA Communications Department hosted a meeting of area communication officials at the NTTA offices in Plano. The meeting allowed NTTA staff to brief attendees on the various stages of the construction along the Dallas North Tollway, Addison Airport Toll Tunnel and Mountain Creek Lake Toll Bridge. Staff also asked for help in keeping area drivers informed to ensure a safe transition to all-ETC. A preliminary construction schedule was also presented.

The Communications Department also launched a project web page in May that provides the latest information about the project, including a project overview, construction schedule, glossary of terms and answers to frequently asked questions. The NTTA will continue to add information to its website, making it a central location for project information and updates.

The NTTA Human Resources Department hit a milestone in May by reaching the 200 mark in the number of individuals who have successfully transferred out of the toll collection and vault departments into other NTTA departments. After the conversion is complete in December, these staff positions will no longer be required. The Human Resources Department has implemented an extensive program to assist with the transition of employees to other departments. Some of the initiatives include job shadowing, additional training and second language proficiency programs. The NTTA continues to provide training to assist employees as they prepare to transition into other careers.

In advance of the conversion of the Mountain Creek Lake Toll Bridge to cashless toll collection, the NTTA will sign up new TollTag accounts on-site for several days in June. NTTA staff will be stationed in the outside lanes at the toll booth to take information from people wanting to set up new TollTag accounts. This effort will provide convenience to area commuters who frequently use the bridge and would like to save money by getting a TollTag. The ZipCash/cash rate is 50 percent greater than the TollTag rate. The NTTA anticipates that many commuters will take advantage of the remote sign-up location to open a new account and reap the savings that come with a TollTag.

Additional opportunities for people to get information about the conversion to all-ETC/cashless toll collection, ZipCash, TollTags and construction activities will occur over the coming months. Stay informed by receiving this newsletter, signing up to receive construction and traffic reports and visiting the NTTA Web site at www.ntta.org.