THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 14, 1996 TAG: 9604140055
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B7 EDITION: FINAL
DATELINE: HERNDON LENGTH: Short : 34 lines
Toll booths along the Dulles Toll Road will become automated Monday, hopefully speeding up the commute of many of the 30,000 drivers daily who use the road.
The 14-mile road is the first Northern Virginia highway to use automatic toll collection devices, which transportation planners are touting as the answer to tollbooth backups. The private Dulles Greenway, which installed automatic collection equipment during construction, will make its system available to drivers in early May, officials said.
To use the Dulles Toll Road's Fastoll, motorists will register with the state Department of Transportation, establish an account and fix a transponder, a cigarette-pack-sized device, to their car windshield near the rearview mirror.
As the driver goes through a toll plaza, an overhead monitor will electronically read the car's account number and deduct the amount of the toll from the driver's prepaid account.
``It's simple, simple, simple,'' said department spokeswoman Joan Morris, who said workers will be distributing brochures and applications at all toll booths starting Monday. Drivers also can sign up via a new toll-free number: (888) FASTOLL.
The advantage of automated toll collection is speed, say proponents. ``Right now a typical toll plaza can process 600 to 800 vehicles per lane per hour. Fastoll has potential to increase that to 1,400,'' Morris said. by CNB