All-Electronic Tolling On Newport Bridge Starts Next Month

NEWPORT, RI — All-electronic tolling on the Newport Pell Bridge is set to start next month, the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority announced Monday. Following the transition, toll booths collecting cash or card payments will no longer operate on the bridge.

The transition is scheduled to start at 11 p.m. Oct.27 and be complete by 11 p.m. the following night. It will start on the eastbound side of the bridge — heading into Newport — before moving to the westbound side. Drivers are asked to use extra caution when heading through the toll areas during this transition.

The transition to all-electronic has been awhile coming. The department announced the formal change in July, and ran a four-week pilot program back in February.

"Close to 90 percent" of customers are already using EZPass transponders, Executive Director Lori Caron Silveira said.

"As we modernize and streamline our operations, it makes sense to deploy technology and use our resources where they are needed most," she continued.

If you already have an EZPass transponder issued by the RITBA, you will continue to be charged the discounted rate following the changeover. Drivers without valid transponders will receive a toll invoice in the mail of $2 per axle — $4 for passenger vehicles — through Nov. 30.

Starting Dec. 1, the toll for vehicles without an EZPass transponder will be raised to $3 per axle, or $6 for passenger vehicles.

"Now is the time to sign up for an E-ZPass transponder and make sure it is mounted before Oct. 27," Caron Silveira said. "Existing customers should make sure that their account, credit card, and vehicle listings are up to date to avoid receiving invoices in the mail."

Drivers can register for an EZPass transponder online.