Cameras are coming soon to the I-80 toll plaza at Delaware Water Gap

NEW HOPE, PA - The Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission approved a set of business rules and toll-violation fees for its new camera-based enforcement system that identifies vehicles caught passing through the agency's toll plazas without paying the required toll.

The Commission has already begun switching its four busiest toll plazas to a new Violation Enforcement System of high-resolution cameras, strategically aimed lights, and back-office processing that identifies, tracks and bills owners of motor vehicles that cameras identify as committing toll violations. Both the I-78 and Route 1 toll plazas came on line in January; the Route 22 and I-80 toll plazas are the final of the four busiest toll that will be converted.

When VES is fully installed and operational at each respective toll plaza, the Commission is immediately able to remove the traffic-control arms (gates) at the respective facility. The toll gates have been the single most frequent customer complaint for the Commission since it began offering E-ZPass electronic toll service in late 2002.

The new toll-violation fees are the latest element of the VES conversion. Effective tomorrow - February 23 - an administrative fee of $25 will now be assessed per toll violation on a first toll violation notice. An additional $10 fee will be assessed if an individual requires a second notice of violation for a total potential administrative fee of $35 per violation. The fee schedule is in line with that of other toll agencies that offer electronic toll collection services, including the New Jersey and Pennsylvania turnpikes.

Any vehicles without valid E-ZPass tag that pass through a DRJTBC toll plaza without paying the required toll will be identified by VES, recorded as a violation and have a notice issued to the vehicle's owner within 60 days. A photograph of the offending vehicle's license plate will be shown on each respective notice. Scofflaws who fail to pay the toll and fees ultimately will have their violations referred to a collection agency.

Owners of vehicles cited for toll violations prior to February 23 will not be subjected to toll-violation fees on first and second notices. However, a maximum fee - $35 per violation - may be applied if they ultimately fail to pay their requested tolls on time.

The Commission has created a new toll violations page in the Bridge Information section at its Web site - www.drjtbc.org - to explain the system and how motorists and motor vehicle owners can make payments for toll violations or dispute toll violation notices.