Pennsylvania Turnpike removing E-ZPass feedback signals

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HARRISBURG, Pa. - Those traffic lights that tell you whether your E-ZPass was read properly at Pennsylvania Turnpike toll booths are going away.

The turnpike commission on Friday started removing the red, yellow, and green feedback signal lights because they are now prohibited by federal guidelines.

"Signal light technology currently in use has become outdated and cumbersome," explained Craig Shuey, the PTC's chief operating officer. "As the commission prepares to update toll equipment in the lanes with more modern hardware and software, we are incorporating new federal signage standards."

The signals have been in use since E-ZPass was launched in 2001. They will be removed at several interchanges each month until the upgrade is complete later this year. In the meantime, drivers may see them wrapped in yellow plastic.

"While the removal of signals may cause some initial confusion, it will soon become the norm as our customers adjust to the change," Shuey said.

That change, Shuey said, will ultimately reduce stop-and-go traffic through the interchanges.

Customers with questions about their E-ZPass account, including whether their transponder is working properly, can contact the Pennsylvania Turnpike E-ZPass customer service center at 877-736-6727, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.