Illinois State Toll Highway Authority

In January 2005, the Illinois Tollway selected ETC to implement the reciprocity (interoperability) program between its I-PASS system and the Interagency Group’s E-ZPass system. Then in March 2005, the Tollway awarded ETC the contract to implement and maintain a new toll collection system, a significant element of its 10-year Congestion Relief Plan. ETC’s proven experience in successfully delivering elegant solutions for complex toll collection challenges, including open road tolling, was an important factor in meeting the aggressive schedules required by the project.

One of the most significant initiatives in the industry, the Illinois Tollway’s Congestion Relief Plan included rebuilding/reconstructing 90 percent of the system, including converting 20 mainline toll plazas to barrier-free, nonstop open road tolling (ORT). Essential to the success of the project was improving operations through the new Toll Revenue Management and Maintenance Program (TRMMP) powered by the RITE® Solution, providing a fully integrated, end-to-end toll collection system, from the lane through the back office. Key highlights of the project include: 

  • Nine Mainline Toll Plazas Converted in Less Than Eight Months – In order to meet the Tollway’s Phase 1 ORT goals, ETC implemented the conversion of the first nine mainline toll plazas to ORT less than eight months after the project started.
  • Convert 11 More Plazas in One Year – The remainder of the Tollway’s mainline plazas were scheduled for open road tolling implementation during the following year. Supporting the Tollway’s Congestion Relief Effort, ETC enabled the Tollway to open certain ORT lanes ahead of schedule to help alleviate congestion on a key holiday.
  • Upgrade/Retrofit All Lanes – ETC retrofitted and upgraded all lanes to increase efficiency and accuracy and to provide further capabilities. New subsystems included vehicle identification and classification technology, an advanced violation enforcement system, and state-of-the-art toll attendant terminals.
  • Transition to New Toll Collection System – ETC created a phased transition process that reduced risk and seamlessly converted legacy data to the new TRMMP.
  • Take Maintenance to a Whole New Level – ETC implemented a Maintenance Command Center that converted maintenance data into a graphical dashboard. Additionally, the maintenance team uses PDA units to create efficiency and ensure response times. ISTHA toll road

About Illinois Tollway. The agency maintains and operates nearly 500 toll lanes located on 286 miles of interstate tollways in 12 counties in Northern Illinois, including the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88), the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355), the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) and the Tri-State Tollway (I-94/I-294/I-80).