Pell toll now $3 per axle without E-ZPass


Increased tolls to cross the Newport Pell Bridge without an E-ZPass transponder are now in effect.

The Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority made the change Dec. 1 for vehicles that have invoices mailed to their registered owners. With all-electronic tolling now in full effect, tolls collected through RITBAissued E-ZPass transponders are charged the published discounted rates of 83 cents. If a vehicle is not equipped with a valid transponder, however, the owner will receive an invoice in the mail for $3 per axle, which is $6 for a passenger vehicle.

The agency on East Shore Road in Jamestown has seen an increase in new E-ZPass accounts in the months leading up to the transition to all-electronic tolling. According to Lori Caron Silveira, executive director, more than 85 percent of drivers use EZPass to pay their tolls.

“We encourage all Rhode Island motorists to sign up for EZPass and get the benefit of the discounted rates,” she said. As traffic continues to normalize, Silveira is reminding drivers to use caution as they cross the toll plaza. The outside tolling lanes are no longer open, and only the four lanes in the center — two going westbound, two going eastbound — are active. The agency transitioned to all-electronic tolling in October following a four-week pilot program in February and March to test the feasibility of the 24/7 contactless system. Data from the study determined that eliminating cash and credit cards “makes sense to better utilize our staff and our resources where they are needed most,” according to Silveira.