By 5 Towns Central Staff

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (July 8, 2026) — Drivers traveling across Southern New Jersey are now navigating a fully modernized transit corridor following the complete phase-out of physical cash collection along the Atlantic City Expressway. The operational shift, which went into effect earlier this year, marks the official conclusion of traditional toll plaza operations that had been in continuous service along the 44-mile highway route since 1965.

Under the updated infrastructure network, physical barriers and manual payment booths have been entirely replaced by high-speed electronic overhead gantries. Vehicles equipped with active electronic transponders are automatically processed at standard commuter rates, while unregistered motorists are identified using automated optical license plate readers. Unregistered drivers subsequently receive paper invoices by mail via a state-managed billing structure, which includes administrative processing fees and elevated rates reflecting the operational overhead of physical mail delivery.

Regional transportation authorities emphasize that eliminating manual toll stops significantly enhances overall corridor safety by reducing severe rear-end collisions and lane-merging hazards frequently recorded near traditional collection barriers. Furthermore, removing physical plazas streamlines high-volume commuter flows—particularly during peak seasonal beach traffic—while creating necessary right-of-way clearance for future highway expansion, including planned additional travel lanes in both directions.

Industry analysts consider the successful regional implementation a critical milestone for state infrastructure modernization. Public transit experts anticipate that the transition along the South Jersey thoroughfare will serve as an operational framework for future electronic tolling upgrades on other high-traffic state highways and regional turnpikes moving forward.

This video provides detailed visual context on how the newly implemented electronic gantries and toll-by-plate billing systems operate along the Atlantic City Expressway.