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Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
PA Turnpike removes tollbooths at interchanges to improve safety
Jun. 11—WILKES-BARRE — As part of its next step toward modernizing its operations and meeting customer experience for more seamless travel, the Pennsylvania Turnpike has started removing toll plazas along its system. Starting with the Pocono Interchange (Exit 95) on the Northeast Extension (Interstate 476), contractors have completely removed the tollbooths and canopy from the interchange. Toll plazas are being demolished where Open Road Tolling (ORT) has launched, east of Reading and on the Northeast Extension. Each interchange will be reconstructed to provide an unobstructed traffic flow. While each demolition will be unique to its physical location, timing and traffic, the entire process will prioritize customer safety. As contractors continue their demolition work, drivers should be prepared for new temporary traffic patterns and should pay attention to crews in work zones. "The PA Turnpike has been a leader in transportation from the day we opened in 1940 as 'America's First Superhighway' and while traditional tollbooths made practical sense then, we now have more advanced and efficient systems that better serve today's 21st century customers," said PA Turnpike CEO Mark Compton. "The switch to ORT modernizes the Pennsylvania Turnpike for today. We look forward to providing customers with a safer and more convenient travel experience on the PA Turnpike and better serving the communities we touch along the way." In an ORT system, Compton said tolls are charged electronically as customers drive at highway speeds without slowing down or stopping beneath overhead structures — called gantries — located between interchanges. Equipment on the gantry and in the roadway processes E-ZPass or Toll By Plate transactions. Compton said ORT reduces confusion and lane switching associated with traditional, stop-and-go tolling. The switch to ORT in the east occurred in January. ORT will launch on the mainline PA Turnpike's western section in 2027 and tollbooths on the mainline will be fully removed across the system by the end of 2028. The PA Turnpike switched to All Electronic Tolling (AET) in March 2020, completing a process that began with the launch of E-ZPass in 2000. With electronic tolling equipment moving from the interchange to over the highway, traditional toll plazas will now be removed. Tollbooth removal eliminates obstacles, increases sight lines and reduces stress and distractions for customers entering and exiting the system. ORT will lead to $25 million yearly savings in interchange maintenance and operations costs and $50 million in yearly operational savings versus traditional collection methods. Beyond safety benefits, Compton said ORT also is better for the environment. Existing all-electronic systems have already led to reductions of up to 45% of CO2 emissions on the PA Turnpike, and an additional 7% of emissions reductions will be realized upon full ORT implementation. Toll plaza removal will also reduce the PA Turnpike's footprint by 150 acres. During demolitions, Pennsylvania State Police and PA Turnpike personnel will be positioned at impacted areas to assist drivers. Changeable message signs will also provide information on the traffic patterns. Motorists are encouraged to plan travel accordingly. Work schedules are subject to change based on weather conditions. Removal of tollbooths and the reconstruction of interchanges will continue East of Reading and on the Northeast Extension through 2026. Featured Local Savings Featured Local Savings Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
PA Turnpike removing tollbooths at interchanges as part of new tolling system
The Pennsylvania Turnpike has begun removing toll plazas east of Reading and on the Northeast Extension as part of its open-road tolling system. Officials said the project started with the Pocono interchange (Exit 95) on the Northeast Extension (Interstate 476), with contractors removing the tollbooths and canopy from the interchange. Officials said the Valley Forge interchange in Montgomery County is scheduled to be removed this summer. Tollbooths at the Morgantown interchange in Berks County and at the Downingtown interchange in Chester County are scheduled to be removed in 2026. Each interchange will be reconstructed to provide unobstructed traffic flow, officials said. 'The PA Turnpike has been a leader in transportation from the day we opened in 1940 as 'America's First Superhighway' and while traditional tollbooths made practical sense then, we now have more advanced and efficient systems that better serve today's 21st century customers,' Mark Compton, turnpike CEO, said in an announcement of the work. 'The switch to ORT (open-road tolling) modernizes the Pennsylvania Turnpike for today. We look forward to providing customers with a safer and more convenient travel experience on the PA Turnpike and better serving the communities we touch along the way.' In the open-road system, tolls are charged electronically as travelers drive at highway speeds without slowing down or stopping. Toll plazas have been replaced by overhead structures — called gantries — located between interchanges on the highway. As drivers pass beneath the structures, equipment on the gantry and in the road processes E-ZPass or Toll By Plate transactions, they said. This system reduces confusion and lane switching associated with traditional, stop-and-go tolling, they said. The switch to open-road tolling in the east occurred in January. The system will launch on the mainline western section in 2027, and tollbooths on the mainline will be fully removed across the turnpike by the end of 2028. Officials said open-road tolling will result in a $25 million yearly savings in interchange maintenance and operations costs and $50 million in yearly operational savings versus traditional collection methods. They said the existing all-electronic systems have already led to reductions of up to 45% of CO2 emissions on the turnpike and that an additional 7% of emissions reductions will be realized when the system is in full operation. Toll plaza removal also reduces the turnpike's footprint by 150 acres, they said. During demolitions, state police and turnpike personnel will be positioned to assist drivers.
Axios
10-06-2025
- Business
- Axios
Four common text scams and how to spot them
Text scams have grown exponentially over the past few years. Why it matters: These scams have gotten harder to identify, and more costly — last year, consumers reported losing $470 million to scams that began with text messages, per the Federal Trade Commission — five times the amount in 2020. Here are some to watch out for: 1. Unpaid tolls and traffic tickets The big picture: State governments across the U.S. have reported a rise in scam texts about unpaid tolls or traffic violations. States that have issued alerts include New York, California, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Florida, New Jersey, Georgia, Colorado, Vermont, Texas, and North Carolina. The exact nature of these scams varies state-by-state, but they typically threaten the suspension of vehicle registration and driving privileges and include links to submit a payment. Those scams extend to claims about specific toll collection systems as well. 17 states use E-Z Pass, for example, and some of them, including New York, New Hampshire and Virginia, have warned residents about phishing attempts. What they're saying: Steve Grobman, the Chief Technology Officer for McAfee, told a local North Carolina ABC affiliate that people should avoid clicking on any links in these texts. "It's either your personal information that can then be sold on the dark web, or in some cases it's more direct where they're trying to get your credit card or debit card," he said. "They can try to use that to make a purchase and ultimately you're then stuck fighting that with your credit card or debit card company on the other side." 2. Package deliveries State of play: The most commonly reported type of text scam was mail carrier impersonations, the FTC said in its April report. Scammers send alerts about supposed issues with impending deliveries, the agency said. FedEx, UPS, and the USPS have all put out warnings against impersonation scams. FedEx said"unexpected requests for money in return for delivery of a package," "requests for personal and/or financial information," and "links to misspelled or slightly altered website addresses" were all red flags to watch out for. The USPS said"common lures include 'your account has been suspended', 'there is suspicious activity on your account', 'there is a problem with your shipping address' and 'there is a package waiting for you at the Post Office.'" 3. Phone providers Some people have reported text scams in which people impersonate phone service providers. AT&T, for instance, put out a notice in April warning customers about "AT&T Rewards scams," in which scammers infiltrate AT&T accounts "so they can make changes, order equipment, or steal personal information. The company gave this example of a scam message: " - Simply sign in to your account to redeem your $620. At AT&T we care about you. Thank you and have a nice day." Across the internet, people have also reported text scams from people impersonating Verizon representatives. Flashback: This type of phone provider scam has existed for the last few years. The New Jersey Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell in 2023 put out a notice warning residents about scammers "impersonating Verizon Wireless technical support and fraud agents using spoofed Verizon Wireless phone numbers and SMS text messages." 4. Job offers The FTC also said that phony job opportunities are common. How it works:"Task scams" involve promises of online work "requiring people to complete a series of online tasks and end up with requests for people to invest their own money," the agency says on its website. In a note to consumers, the New York Department of State warned that people should be wary of potential employers who request personal information prior to an interview, offer to hire you without an interview or meeting, or ask you to download any applications. "Don't trust anyone who says they'll pay you to rate or like things online. That's illegal and no honest company will do it," the FTC said in December. What to do about text scams The FTC advises people to report suspicious messages. Forwarding messages to 7726 (SPAM) helps wireless providers spot and block similar messages. You can report messages as spam on either the Apple iMessages app or Google Messages app for Android users. You can also report directly to the FTC at The FTC also has advice on how to avoid accidentally giving a scammer your information.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Yahoo
Virginia man found guilty in death of Sayreville Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour: officials
SAYREVILLE, N.J. (PIX11) — The man charged in connection with the death of Sayreville Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour in 2023 was found guilty of murder, the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office announced Monday. Rashid Ali Bynum of Virginia will be sentenced on August 18. More Local News Bynum was found guilty of first-degree murder, unlawful possession of a weapon, and unlawful possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose, prosecutors say. Dwumfour, 30, was found with multiple gunshot wounds inside her vehicle outside her home in a townhouse complex in Sayreville on the evening of February 1, 2023, according to authorities. Authorities linked Bynum to Dwumfour's killing using surveillance video, witness reports, cellphone data, internet searches, and E-ZPass records, among other pieces of evidence, officials said. Dwumfour had been elected to a three-year term on the Sayreville council in 2021. She was a mother and a soft-spoken devout Christian, according to those who knew her. Ben Mitchell is a digital content producer from Vermont who has covered both local and international news since 2021. He joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
PA Turnpike tollbooths removed at interchanges
(WBRE/WYOU) — Multiple tollbooths have been removed from the Pennsylvania Turnpike in areas where Open Road Tolling (ORT) has begun. The PA Turnpike has started removing toll plazas along the turnpike, starting with the Pocono Interchange (Exit 95) and on the Northeast Extension (Interstate 476), with plans to remove all tollbooths by 2028. The two tollbooths have been removed where the ORT system has launched. The ORT system will have gantries above the turnpike that allow for unobstructed traffic flow. You will be able to drive highway speeds through the ORT gantries. Death investigation underway in Williamsport 'The PA Turnpike has been a leader in transportation from the day we opened in 1940 as 'America's First Superhighway' and while traditional tollbooths made practical sense then, we now have more advanced and efficient systems that better serve today's 21st century customers… The switch to ORT modernizes the Pennsylvania Turnpike for today. We look forward to providing customers with a safer and more convenient travel experience on the PA Turnpike and better serving the communities we touch along the way.' PA Turnpike CEO Mark Compton The ORT gantries charge the driver by E-ZPass or by Toll By Plate. The switch to ORT in the east of the state occurred in January and will launch in the turnpike's west section in 2027. The PA Turnpike Commission says the tollbooths on the mainline will be fully removed across the turnpike by the end of 2028. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
