Replacement
Goethals Bridge Replacement Project
Situation
The Replacement Project now includes the construction of two new parallel cable-stayed bridges providing three 12-foot travel lanes, a 12-foot outer shoulder, and a five-foot inner shoulder per span. The northern span includes a 10-foot wide sidewalk and bikeway along its north edge. Space is also provided between the replacement spans to accommodate possible transit service in the future. The replacement bridge was built to the south of the existing Goethals Bridge which has been closed since the new spans have opened
Solution
Southern Manufacturing, a division of Earnest Products, Inc. partnered with Kapsch Traffic Com to design and manufacture several custom enclosure solutions to support the implementation of the cashless toll system based on the unique needs and challenges associated bridge replacement project. Cashless tolling reduces traffic bottlenecks by tolling based on your license plate or EZ-pass account (if you have a transmitter in the vehicle).
Outcome
The open-road cashless tolling began on September 4, 2019. The tollbooths will be dismantled, and drivers are no longer able to pay cash at the bridge. Instead, there will be cameras mounted onto new overhead gantries located on the Staten Island side. A vehicle without E-ZPass will have a picture taken of its license plate and a bill for the toll will be mailed to its owner. For E-ZPass users, sensors will detect their transponders wirelessly. The controls of these systems are housed by a Southern Manufacturing, a division of Earnest Products, Inc. enclosure.
