Toll Road Signs
Preferential lanes are lanes designated for special traffic uses such as high-occupancy vehicles (HOVs), light rail, buses, taxis, or bicycles.
Toll roads are prevalent throughout the United States, and the reason for the fee that is collected generally has to do with managing the traffic flow on a highway, and in some cases to fund construction on that particular course, or even to help pay for normal maintenance costs. Sometimes referred to as turnpikes, toll roads will have plazas at their entrance and exit points for the purpose of collecting tolls, which can be assessed per the weight of the vehicle, the distance being traveled on the course, or sometimes by the number of axles on the vehicle.
Some tolls are collected by simply dropping money in a machine, after which an arm raises to allow the vehicle to proceed, and in more and more cases these days, payment is collected automatically by scanning a device in the vehicle’s windshield which is connected to an account which can be debited with each street usage. These automated systems have become much more popular in recent years because they eliminate the need to pay people to collect those tolls from booths, so this is likely to be the wave of the future for tolling roads.
Because charge roads call for some special activities on the roadways, some special signage is also called for, and these indicators are often used to alert drivers to the fact that a tolling booth is ahead, as well as indicating the associated lanes. This gives drivers time to determine whether they will be utilizing the toll-lane or general-purpose lanes, and it also alerts the motorist to the fact that they should prepare themselves to make the necessary payment.
Toll Road Signs
Charge road signs are used to convey to drivers that limited access freeways or expressways are up ahead, and that there will be a fee charged for usage of those roads.
Once on the charge road, normal guide indicators will be in place to direct and manage traffic flow, so drivers can find their destinations and any other landmarks they are pursuing. Because there are usually tolling plazas or collection points at the entrances to charge roads, there must be additional consideration given to the placards which are placed around these structures. This is one of the areas where prominent signage is necessary to alert drivers to the proximity of a levy road and to help them prepare for paying the fee.
Examples of Toll Road Signs
There are a number of levy street placards that you might see in the general area around the entrance or exit from a levy course nearby. You might see a sign which displays the actual fee, or you could see a sign which simply says “Pay Toll,” or one that says “Take Ticket,” in which case you would pay the fee when you exit the street and reach your destination.
Other signs might say “Stop Ahead and Pay Toll” or “Last Free Exit,” which are messages meant to inform drivers that this is their last chance to avoid paying the fee, and if they do proceed, they will have to stop up ahead to make that payment. Some other indicators will inform you that “No Cash” is accepted at the booth up ahead, while other types of placards might inform you that only “Exact Change” will be accepted. All these signs help to alert you to the fact that you are obliged to make a payment for using the course, and in some cases, a preferred method of payment is expected.
Importance of Toll Road Signs
Levy roads are an effective method of traffic-flow management, restricting general access in the interest of preserving free-flow operating conditions. In many cases, the associated cost is raised or lowered in direct response to the current congestion on the toll-road, in an attempt to maintain this equilibrium.
It’s important to let motorists know that a charge road is ahead and that they will be obliged to pay a fee for using that street. If you happen not to have any money in your car and no other way to pay the fee, this will give you time to avoid using the road, and instead exit before you reach the entrance of the course.
The informational placards which tell how you should make your payment are very useful because they can avoid long backups of vehicles by collecting payments quickly and smoothly. When you see a sign that alerts you to the fact that you’re coming up on the “Last Free Exit” before a booth, that gives you time to exit prior to being assessed for using the road.
Buy Toll Road Signs
If you are responsible for procuring toll road placards and having them set up at a local plaza, contact us at Worksafe Traffic Control Industries for any of your signage or lane striping needs. You will find every kind of highway sign you might need, and all of our signs are MUTCD-Certified and NCHRP 350 Compliant. We will be glad to work with you to satisfy whatever requirements your agency has, and we can have your placards shipped to you promptly, as we offer a seven day turn around on most orders. Contact us today and let us help you handle any kind of road sign requirements which you may have.