Electronic tolling is scheduled to come to the Indiana Toll Road in Northwest Indiana on June 25.
Despite a controversy with Illinois over discounts, Toll Road operator ITR Concession plans to roll out its I-Zoom tolling on that date, according to company spokesman Matt Pierce.
"The convenience and ease of paying tolls is the primary reason for installing electronic tolling," Pierce said.
People will be able to sign up for I-Zoom starting June 15. There will be a toll-free number and a Web site for ordering I-Zoom transponders, which will cost $10. There also will be a $1 per month fee.
The Indiana Toll Road will not have "open road tolling" such as that on the Illinois Tollway. There, cars do not have to slow down as they pass beneath the tolling devices spanning several lanes.
On the Indiana Toll Road, toll booths and gates will remain in place. However, vehicles will have to slow to 15 mph in I-Zoom lanes, which is expected to help relieve congestion. That is similar to the system in place on the Chicago Skyway.
The Illinois Tollway's I-PASS as well as EZ-Passes issued by other states will be honored on the Indiana Toll Road.
Northwest Indiana will be the first segment of the Toll Road to get electronic tolling. It will start at the Portage barrier at mile marker 23 and be operational to the Illinois state line.
ITR Concession plans to have electronic tolling installed the entire length of the 157-mile roadway by November. That will trigger new, higher tolls and the I-Zoom discount.
A car or motorcycle traveling the entire length of the Toll Road without I-Zoom will pay $8, as compared to the current $4.65. With the 40 percent I-Zoom discount, the new toll will be $4.80.
Originally, ITR Concession said that the discount would not be available to I-PASS users.
That raised hackles at the Illinois Tollway Authority, because it offers a 50 percent discount to all motorists with electronic tolling transponders. It threatened to revoke I-PASS for Indiana residents. ITR Concession then backed off and said I-PASS holders will get the Toll Road discount.
The Illinois Tollway Authority still wants ITR Concession to back off its requirement that I-PASS holders register for the Toll Road discount at a special Web site. Illinois officials also say the I-Zoom $1 user fee sets up different standards for different electronic tolling passes.
