System Deployment
The Expressway Authority's Electronic Toll and Traffic Management (ETTM) system, including E-PASS, was first implemented in mid-May 1994 at the Boggy Creek mainline and associated ramps, and the John Young Parkway mainline and associated ramps on State Road 417 (Central Florida GreeneWay).
In mid-July 1994, the University mainline on State Road 417 and its associated ramps came on-line. The Dean Road mainline and ramps on State Road 408 (East-West Expressway) came on-line in September 1994. The Holland East mainline and ramps on State Road 408 opened to E-PASS in October 1994, and the Hiawassee mainline and ramps opened in December 23, 1994. In 1995, installation on State Road 408 was completed with the opening of the Holland West mainline and ramps on February 9.
Installation on Expressway Authority portions of State Road 417 was wrapped up in March 1995 when the Curry Ford mainline and ramps went online. The State Road 528 (Bee Line Expressway) was the final Expressway Authority facility to get E-PASS. Installation occurred first at the Bee Line Main Plaza and its associated ramps. The Bee Line Airport plaza went on line in October 1995.
E-PASS Expands to State Owned Toll Roads
E-PASS was extended to the Florida Department of Transportation's portions of State Road 417 in 1996. In Osceola County, the Celebration Main Plaza and ramps opened with E-PASS on June 23, 1996. In Seminole County, the Lake Jesup Main Plaza and its ramps went on-line with E-PASS on September 9, 1996. Due to equipment compatibility issues, only dedicated E-PASS lanes were installed at these locations. Cash lanes at these locations do not accept E-PASS. The FDOT sections marked the first time dedicated lanes were installed at ramp plazas.
Dedicated E-PASS Only lanes were opened at the Bee Line Main Plaza in January 1997. In February 1997, the Expressway Authority opened new ramp plazas at John Young Parkway on State Road 408. These ramp plazas were the first on the Expressway Authority system to get dedicated E-PASS lanes. In 1998 the Expressway Authority added E-PASS Only lanes at the Hiawassee Road and Semoran Boulevard ramp plazas on State Road 408. E-PASS Only lanes were also added at the ramp plazas for Colonial Drive on State Road 417. The Airport Main Plaza on State Road 528 was the last mainline plaza on the Expressway Authority system to get dedicated E-PASS lanes. Those lanes opened in Spring 1998. On August 31, 1998 the FDOT operated Bee Line West plaza began offering E-PASS.
E-PASS Moves to Open Road Tolling
In July 2000, the Expressway Authority opened the Forest Lake Main Toll Plaza on State Road 429 (Western Expressway). Forest Lake is the first toll plaza in Florida to feature open road tolling. With open road tolling E-PASS customers do not pass through the toll plaza and do not have to slow down when paying their toll. All of the Expressway Authority's toll plazas are scheduled for conversion to open road tolling by 2007.
E-PASS and SunPASS become Interoperable
Between December 2000 and February 2001, the Expressway Authority converted its entire electronic toll system from a Mark IV bumper mounted transponder system to an Amtech windshield mounted system. The changes were necessary so that E-PASS could be accepted statewide in SunPASS lanes. More that 240,000 transponders were replaced during the effort. During the period, the Florida Department of Transportation facilities on State Road 417 in Seminole County and Osceola County, as well as the Bee Line West Main plaza on State Road 528 were switched from E-PASS to SunPASS. However, the new windshield mounted
E-PASS transponders were accepted at those facilities as part of the transition. On May 21, 2001 full statewide interoperability between E-PASS and SunPASS was achieved. The two agencies operate independently and exchange transaction files once a day.
The Benefits of E-PASS Technology
The benefits of electronic toll collection are significant. While manual and automatic coin lanes can process approximately 380 to 680 vehicles per hour, one dedicated E-PASS lane at the Holland East plaza has recorded an hourly throughput rate in excess of 1,800 vehicles per hour. As long as E-PASS usage increases at a greater rate than peak hour traffic growth, the need to expand or reconstruct a toll plaza can be avoided.
There are currently more than 436,000 E-PASS transponders in use. The Expressway Authority is currently planning additional uses for the E-PASS transponder including payment of parking fees in downtown Orlando and at Orlando International Airport.