FTE All-Electronic Tolling Conversion

As general engineering consultant to Florida Turnpike Enterprise, HNTB played an integral role in the successful conversion of 312 miles mainline to all-electronic toll collection, helping FTE to realize a long-held vision to increase safety and mobility.

A Trusted Partner

Throughout the firm’s extended partnership with FTE, the firm has led and supported in the AET conversions of Suncoast Parkway, Northern Coin portion of the Turnpike mainline, and the Polk Parkway, projects and phases with nuances that required unique approaches and implementation plans.

An Overview of the Conversion

After successfully executing all other phases on the Turnpike mainline, FTE with HNTB and key stakeholders embarked on AET 8, the largest, most complex FTE conversion project to date with the Ticket System stretching from milepost 88 to milepost 236.

The conversion involved:

• Changing FTE’s toll collection method, removing cash
• Demolishing two mainline toll plazas and plazas from 12 interchange ramps
• Erecting 12 free-flow, mainline AET toll gantries
• Introducing a new tolling scheme

Additional support from HNTB included stakeholder engagement. The firm assembled the multidisciplinary stakeholders involved in the conversion. This diverse team included the construction contractor, construction inspectors, communications and marketing team, finance, tolls roadside program, tolls back office and revenue collection services.

155 Miles Delivered in 5 Hours

As the project was set within one of the country’s most heavily traveled highway systems, FTE implemented the conversion to AET in phases, with the largest, most complex phase completed overnight. For this phase, HNTB helped convert 155 miles and 13 interchanges in five hours while under live traffic conditions.

Learn more about the five hour conversion in the Designer article.