AC Expressway All-Electronic Tolls Moved To 4th Quarter 2025. First Gantry Installed

The Atlantic City Expressway installed the first overhead digital toll reader gantry, as part of plans to move to an all-electronic cashless toll system which has a new starting timeframe of the Fourth Quarter 2025.

Originally expected to start in May of 2025, the new date places the start of the cashless system after the busy summertime Jersey Shore season, and provides additional time for contractors to complete the installation of 11 overhead gantry systems.

The overhead structures will include EZ-Pass sensors (while driving at full speed) as well as cameras to photograph license plates when necessary (for those without EZ-Pass).

AC Expressway Gantry Install (Image: AC Expressway, SJTA)

Once the overhead gantry structures are in place and the system is fully activated, crews will remove the toll plazas along the roadway including at the exit/entrance ramps!

NOTE: They are adding 11 overhead gantry readers because all of the pay booths at the exit/entrance ramps will be removed also. You’ll just zoom on and off but will pay at the next gantry. Pricing at each gantry will be adjusted to keep the travel costs the same.

On Friday May 2^nd, commuters got to see the first overhead gantry system in place above the Expressway road surface at a location just south of Berlin Cross Keys Road. Several others can be seen under construction along the length of the 44 mile roadway.

The Atlantic City Expressway touts a variety of features for the plan including increased throughput along the roadway and reduce congestion particularly at toll plazas.

Likely a big catalyst for this effort is also the fact that only 12% of the commuters on the AC Expressway are paying with cash, which requires the Expressway to maintain significant expenses for just a small portion of the commuters.

Another benefit is enhanced safety as cars will not have to navigate to left or right sides of the roadway, nor manage through slowed down traffic that is approaching toll booths.

I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned this in my reporting before… but for my high school senior weekend in Wildwood many decades ago our group actually had a significant car accident at an Expressway tollbooth when one of our cars rear-ended another, as traffic slowed at the tollbooth!

Simply, once the all electronic toll systems are turned on every car on the Expressway will be solely focused on driving.

EZ Pass – Time Sign Up Is Now

If you do not have an EZ-Pass account and vehicle tag, now may be a good time to take care of that!

The South Jersey Transportation Authority who operates Expressway has opened a Customer Service window at the Farley Service Plaza to make the process easy.

If you do not have an EZ Pass tag when the all-digital tolling starts, your license plates will be photographed and via an agreement with the DMV, you will be mailed a bill.

Clearly this paper bill process comes at an additional cost for the Transportation Authority and puts extra effort on the commuter who now has to process a mailed invoice… It’s just easier to have EZ Pass… which also works on the Bridges and many other area highways.