Progress with the Illinois Tollway's congestion relief programme in the USA is described. Toll plazas are being converted to Open Road Tolling (ORT) for I-PASS travel at highway speeds. Nine plazas have been converted to schedule and the remaining eleven will be converted in 2006. Early results from the ORT plazas indicate increased system accuracies and travel time improvement. The new systems have increased the accuracy and reliability of vehicle classification, increasing revenue collection accuracy. The challenges associated with conversion to ORT plazas are outlined. The Tollway's policy is to open lanes as they come online, keeping congestion and public inconvenience to a minimum. The Tollways Construction Communications Initiative and related roadway signage has kept drivers informed about the conversion, how long it will take and what benefits will come from the project. Drivers have had a very positive attitude to the conversion process and the benefits of ORT.
Abstract