26K Hatem E-ZPass Plans Sold Since February

About 26,000 people have purchased E-ZPass plans exclusive to Hatem Bridge, the Maryland Transportation Authority said.

Customers who open a plan specific to the before July 1 will save $10 on renewals for the following year, MdTA executive secretary Harold M. Bartlett said in a news release.

The AVI decals will be valid until Sept. 30—after which only cash and E-ZPass transponders will be utilized in the toll lanes on Hatem Bridge. A one-time trip on the bridge is $6 when paying with cash.

A transponder will cost $10 for unlimited trips in the next year.

"I thank our elected officials and community partners who have helped make the transition to E-ZPass more accessible and convenient for our customers," Bartlett said in a release.

The Hatem Bridge is one of three options to cross the in Maryland—along with the Tydings Bridge (Interstate 95) and the Conowingo Dam (U.S. Route 1).

E-ZPass transponders are offered in two options:

• CHOICE A: an E-ZPass for use on the  only. The annual fee is $10, with no fees, pre-paid toll deposits or account statements. The transponder is free until Jan. 31, 2013, when the price moves to $9 for a new transponder. This option is considered the "AVI equivalent" by the MdTA.
• CHOICE B: an E-ZPass valid wherever E-ZPass is accepted. This account is $10 per year for  use, and includes a $25 pre-paid balance for use at other toll facilities. It is subject to a transponder charge and a monthly account fee, unless used at least three times the previous month to pay tolls in Maryland. This plan offers a 10 percent discount off the cash rate at Maryland toll plazas. It is considered the more flexible option by the MdTA.

The annual rate for the Hatem Choice A plan goes to $20 on July 1, 2013. For more on the plans, click here.

Transponders can be purchased at stop-in centers. The MdTA advises commuters to utilize the stop-in center along Interstate 95 in Perryville. The JFK I-95 E-ZPass stop-in center is accessible via MD Route 222 at Turnpike Drive. It is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, and 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays through September.

Plans are available at other stop-in centers, including the one at Hatem Bridge—which officials say is likely to be more crowded than the Interstate 95 facility. 

Have more questions? Check out a .

TELL US: How are you paying for tolls on the Hatem Bridge? Have you purchased an E-ZPass plan, or do you pay in cash or avoid the bridge altogether? Leave a comment.