(WKBN) – The Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission is investing $233 million in 2022, and there are some local projects on its agenda.
Construction of the new mainline Toll Plaza at milepost 211 in Newton Falls is part of the Ohio Turnpike’s new Toll Collection System, aimed at modernizing and improving the turnpike experience. The project also includes pavement replacement and new ramps.
Construction is scheduled to begin in March 2022 and finish by December 2022.
The mainline Eastgate Toll Plaza 239 in New Springfield will also be renovated.
Construction for that project is expected to begin in April 2022 and finish in December 2022. The new Toll Collection System goes live in spring 2023.
Traffic will be maintained during both projects.
Other local modernization projects include the following:
- Infrastructure upgrades to install new tolling equipment at 20 interchanges from Toll Plaza 52 to Toll Plaza 209 (Lucas, Wood, Sandusky, Erie, Lorain, Cuyahoga, Summit, Portage and Trumbull counties);
- Automatic traffic recorders at nine toll plazas, including those in Trumbull and Mahoning counties;
- And new toll collection hardware/equipment installation at 21 existing toll plazas and three new toll plazas.
“We are about one year away from open road tolling on the Ohio Turnpike, which is scheduled to debut in spring 2023. Once complete, our E-ZPass customers will be able to travel the full length of the 241-mile Ohio Turnpike at highway speeds without stopping,” said Ferzan Ahmed, executive director of the turnpike commission.
Ahmed said drivers without E-ZPass will still have the option to exit the turnpike by paying their tolls with cash or credit card at gated toll lanes.
