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CLEVELAND (WJW) – Work is underway to modernize the Ohio Turnpike and drivers are already seeing some of the changes.

As part of the turnpike’s new toll collection system, crews are converting lanes and removing gates at toll plaza interchanges for open road tolling for E-ZPass holders.

Crews are installing new electronic tolling equipment. They’re also removing all entrance gates and E-ZPass-only exit lane gates.

Twenty interchanges, from toll plazas 52 to 209, will be converted.

So far, lane conversions are already underway at the following toll plaza interchanges:

• Toll Plaza 52 (Toledo Airport-Swanton/S.R. 2);
• Toll Plaza 71 (Stony Ridge-Toledo/S.R. 420 and I-280);
• Toll Plaza 151 (North Ridgeville-Cleveland/I-480); and
• Toll Plaza 173 (Cleveland/S.R. 21 and I-77).

“All of the entry gates in the converted lanes will be removed for the benefit of our E-ZPass customers.
However, non-E-ZPass customers will have to stop to get a ticket,” said Ferzan Ahmed, executive director of the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission. “We urge all motorists to obey the 10-mph speed limit in all toll lanes for the safety of travelers and turnpike employees.”

There will still be signs on the gantry above the entrance lanes to let drivers know which lane to use.

The project is expected to cost about $232 million.