All-Electronic Tolling: Fast and Convenient

The Columbia River Crossing (CRC) project will use the most current electronic toll collection technology available. Electronic tolling is convenient, efficient and eliminates the need for toll booths. Drivers install a transponder, about the size of a credit card, inside their vehicle on the windshield. When using a tolled facility, an overhead sensor links the transponder to the registered user’s account information and deducts the correct toll from a prepaid account. Drivers will not need to slow down.

To use this technology, users must have pre-paid transponder accounts. Drivers may easily manage an account by authorizing payments from a credit card or bank account when needed.

There also are methods to collect tolls from travelers without transponders. Vehicles would have their license plate photographed. Drivers could prepay or post-pay online or by phone, or be invoiced for the toll. The invoice would include an administrative fee for processing.

Any toll collection system implemented by the CRC project will include technology that eliminates the need for toll booths and can be used by both regular and infrequent highway users. When the Tacoma Narrows Bridge opened in 2008, Washington state launched an electronic tolling system called Good to Go! CRC will use a compatible system. The CRC project will continue researching advances in electronic toll collection technology.

All-Electronic Tolling: Fast and Convenient

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