The Associated Press is reporting that portable tollbooths will be installed along the West Virginia Turnpike to keep traffic moving along the 88-mile highway during heavy holiday periods.
Alan Susman, chairman of the West Virginia Parkways Economic Development and Tourism Authority's facilities committee, believes adding the tollbooths and restriping entrances to the highway's three toll barriers should increase traffic flow by 20%.
During holidays traffic at the turnpike's barriers can back up for several miles, with the worst congestion occurring at the barrier south of Charleston.
The portable tollbooth and restriping project were recommended by turnpike consultant HNTB Corp., Fairfield, N.J. The authority hired HNTB in January to recommend ways to improve traffic flow. HNTB suggested several ideas, including stationing the portable toll booths about 75 ft downstream from the main toll plazas and special highway striping leading to the tollbooths.
Authority members selected the portable tollbooth and restriping option because it would cost just over $90,000.
"By being temporary and portable we can move them around if we anticipate problems at other plazas and can actually set them up there for busy holiday periods," Greg Barr, turnpike manager, told the Associated Press.
