NTTA SPECIAL ALERT

Electronic Tolling Begins July 1 on Bush Turnpike

On Wednesday, July 1, the NTTA will transition to all-electronic toll collection (all-ETC) on the President George Bush Turnpike only.

Beginning at 12:01 a.m., cash will no longer be accepted on the Bush Turnpike.  If you have a TollTag, your payment method will remain the same and you will continue to use all open lanes.  Motorists without TollTags -- also known as ZipCash customers -- will have a new way to pay.  Instead of stopping to pay cash, ZipCash customers should KEEP MOVING.  A bill for the transactions at the higher ZipCash rate will be sent to the registered owner of the vehicle.

TollTag customers should use caution and slow down initially while current cash customers adapt to the new way to travel and pay.

NOTE: The NTTA will not transition the Dallas North Tollway (DNT), Addison Airport Tunnel and the Mountain Creek Lake Bridge to all-ETC at this time.  For cash customers, if there is a cash payment option – either a toll attendant or cash machine – you must stop and pay. 
 
The design of the Bush Turnpike makes it more convenient and cost efficient to transition first. The NTTA also will be able to study the effect the transition has on customers and allow for changes to be made prior to transitioning the more difficult DNT at a later date.  
 
Below are answers to some Frequently Asked Questions to help you navigate your way through the Bush Turnpike conversion:
 
Will there be lane closures during the evening of June 30 when the Bush Turnpike is converted to all-ETC?
Starting at 8 p.m., rolling lane closures will be in effect as new signs are installed and old signs are removed. Crews will use flags to direct traffic in front of and behind the work convoy, and advance electronic signs will also direct traffic. 
 
Will you be removing lanes?
No express lanes will be removed or eliminated. Access to cash booths will be eliminated so that all traffic uses free-flowing lanes. 
 
What type of construction will take place on the roadway?
●          Crews will remove all signage related to stopping to pay cash along the Bush Turnpike.  Signs detailing ZipCash payment rates will be unveiled and directional construction signage will be added to assist drivers with navigating through the construction zone.
●          On June 30, temporary barrels will be placed on the roadway, closing off the cash lanes.  At the Coit Road and Sandy Lake Road toll plazas on the Bush Turnpike, exiting traffic will temporarily be directed through a dedicated lane on the cash side of the plaza.
●          Traffic monitors will help during peak hours on July 1 to assist motorists advising them to “Keep Moving.”
●          Motorists will see new rate signs displaying the TollTag and the ZipCash rates, NTTA’s drive-now and pay-later option at a 45 percent higher rate. Drivers are encouraged to get a TollTag for ease of payment and preferred pricing.

How will construction activity affect my commute?
●          NTTA expects traffic to move slower for the first week as drivers adjust to the new lane configurations and traffic patterns.  We are requesting that all drivers use caution especially when entering and exiting the Bush Turnpike.
●          Traffic will continuously improve as drivers experience the free flow of traffic and the elimination of weaving, stopping and starting at cash booths.

When will the Bush Turnpike construction activity be completed?
●          Construction will continue through mid-October as NTTA crews replace temporary barricades with more permanent structures.  All booths and plazas will remain intact pending a final decision on widening the Bush Turnpike.
●          NTTA provides traffic information at www.ntta.org and on the hotline at 214-224-3030.

For more information and to watch a video on all-ETC, please visit http://www.ntta.org/AboutUs/Projects/AllETC.