Government The Northern Westchester Examiner

Bear Mountain Bridge to Implement Cashless Tolling

September 17, 2021 Examiner Media Bear Mountain Bridge

The New York State Bridge Authority has announced that cashless tolling will be implemented at the Bear Mountain Bridge in early October.

Motorists will experience non-stop travel under gantries with state-of-the-art sensors and cameras that read E-ZPass tags and take license plate images.

Vehicles with E-ZPass tags will be automatically charged and vehicles without E-ZPass tags will have their license plate image captured and a toll bill mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle via Tolls by Mail NY.

The exact date of implementation will be announced in the near future. Information about the cashless tolling project can be found on the Bridge Authority’s website and social media pages.

“The Bear Mountain Bridge has been a treasured icon of the Hudson Valley since it opened in 1924,” said New York State Bridge Authority Executive Director Maureen A. Coleman. “Bringing this 21st-century technology to the bridge will help decrease traffic build-up and reduce engine idling at this transportation anchor of the beautiful Hudson Highlands area.”

Cashless tolling has been in use on the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge since July 7, 2021. After the implementation is complete at Bear Mountain, the Bridge Authority will bring the new system to the Rip Van Winkle, Kingston-Rhinecliff, and Mid-Hudson Bridges in the months ahead. The conversion to cashless tolling is expected to be fully complete across all Authority bridges by March 2022.

All drivers without an E-ZPass tag are strongly encouraged to obtain one to take advantage of savings and convenience. Tags can be ordered at www.e-zpassny.com or picked up at a number of retailers across the State. NY E-ZPass users pay discounted toll rates at Bridge Authority facilities and on other toll roads within the E-ZPass network.

Non-E-ZPass customers have a number of options to pay, including by mail, over the phone, online, and via the Tolls NY app. Customers who call **826 from most mobile devices will receive a text message with a link to the Tolls by Mail NY website (www.tollsbymailny.com) and information on how to pay their toll bill. All Tolls by Mail customers will pay the full rate on tolls.

The Bridge Authority recommends all drivers download the Tolls NY mobile app to easily keep track of E-ZPass statements and pay Tolls by Mail invoices.