BECKLEY, W.Va. — In an effort to make toll booths on the WV Turnpike safer for both motorists and staff workers, bump strips will soon be installed preceding the tolls.
State Parkways Authority General Manager Greg Barr said some scary incidents at tolls have raised a red flag to make a safety change.
“We have been seeing an increase in the number of more tractor-trailers starting to lose some control as they enter the toll booth lane,” he explained.
He said other states have E-ZPass machines that allow travelers to drive through at normal speed and scan their pass for the toll, but not enough West Virginia drivers have E-ZPass, so tolls have to remain intact.
“A lot of other states have gone to open road tolling, where you see signs for tolls coming ahead, but if you have a transponder you just travel at speed and don’t have to slow down,” said Barr. “But we still have the booths and a lot of those are manned booths.”
A few incidents have led to damage to toll booths and have put those workers manning the tolls in a vulnerable position, Barr said.
“We did a pilot study at our North Beckley toll plaza and put in some rumble strips and signage reminding travelers of the strips ahead,” he said. “And it actually worked to slow people down. We saw a marked reduction in speed as people got to the plaza.”
He said that because of the study, strips will be put in place in front of all toll plazas, as well as signs warning them that rumble strips are ahead in effort to encourage reduced speed.
“The project is expected to cost a total of $690,000. We expect to start work this spring, get the work done before Memorial Day; before the heavy traffic starts up for the summer,” Barr said.