Maine Turnpike to become compatible with E-Zpass system

PORTLAND – The Maine Turnpike’s electronic toll-collection system will be made compatible with electronic toll systems in other states, allowing residents to drive from Maine to West Virginia without stopping to pay a toll.

The Maine Turnpike Authority announced Monday that it will spend $9.25 million to upgrade its “Transpass” system and make it compatible with the “E-Zpass” system now used by several other states in the Northeast.

The E-Zpass system will be adopted by the turnpike authority by the fall of 2003 and be compatible with other states by the spring of 2004.

“The Maine Turnpike Authority has always envisioned a seamless system that would allow our customers to enjoy the convenience of electronic toll collection in other states and vice versa,” said Samuel Zaitlin, the authority chairman.

When Maine joins the regional system, its 90,000 Transpass users will join the millions of E-Zpass users in Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and West Virginia. The turnpike authority said more than 5 million E-Zpass transponders are now in use in New York and New Jersey, and another 3 million in Massachusetts, where they go under the name “FastLane.”

Other states in the Northeast are also expected to join the E-Zpass network, including New Hampshire.