KS Engineers, P.C. (KSE) served as the design engineer for a fast-track Design-Build project involving the conversion of the Interstate 78 (I-78) toll facility to Open Road Tolling (ORT) operations at the Delaware River crossing. KSE provided comprehensive engineering design services, including roadway and traffic coordination, structural modifications, architectural integration, electrical system upgrades, maintenance and protection of traffic planning, and the design and incorporation of advanced toll collection infrastructure. The firm developed plans and specifications for the partial demolition and removal of portions of the existing toll plaza canopy, supporting structural elements, and associated mechanical equipment. KSE also designed the relocation of existing HVAC equipment into the retained canopy structure and prepared architectural treatments to ensure visual compatibility between existing and new facilities. Additional responsibilities included the design of a new access stairway, elevated walkway, and entrance door, installation of new Daktronics electronic signage on the existing canopy, modifications to the electrical distribution system, installation of four new overhead sign structures, and integration of a new space-frame canopy supporting the ORT toll collection equipment.
The project was located at the Pennsylvania side of the I-78 Delaware River crossing in Williams Township, Pennsylvania, approximately one mile west of the Delaware River. Prior to implementation of ORT, the existing toll facility collected tolls only in the westbound direction and consisted of a seven-lane toll plaza accommodating both conventional manual toll collection and E-ZPass electronic toll transactions. Westbound I-78 approached the facility as a three-lane Interstate highway that widened to four lanes near the Cedarville Road overpass before expanding to the full seven-lane toll plaza configuration approximately 800 feet in advance of the toll collection area.
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission initiated the project as part of its ongoing commitment to modernize toll collection operations and improve traffic flow through implementation of Open Road Tolling technology. The ORT system was designed to allow motorists equipped with E-ZPass transponders to pay tolls electronically while traveling at highway speeds, eliminating the need to slow down or stop at a conventional toll booth. Vehicles pass beneath a specially designed space-frame canopy equipped with high-speed transponder readers, communication devices, and supporting toll collection technology capable of accurately identifying and processing toll transactions in real time.
Through innovative design solutions and close coordination within the Design-Build delivery framework, KSE successfully supported the transformation of the existing toll plaza into a modern, efficient, and technologically advanced tolling facility that improved operational performance, enhanced safety, reduced congestion, and provided a seamless travel experience for motorists using the I-78 corridor.
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