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The Fort Bend County Toll Road Authority found that the existing change machines frequently were out of order and created long lines in the cash lanes.
The authority announced the change Friday to improve safety and convenience.
“Our number one concern is for the safety of those who drive the parkway,” Mike Stone, consultant with for the Toll Road Authority, said in a release. “EZ Tag toll plazas make it safer for motorists because you eliminate the traffic backups created by traditional cash lanes.”
Additionally, the county was losing out on money from the toll road because motorists would simply drive around the short arms blocking the lanes.
The decision to use EZ Tags passed by commissioners court on Dec. 11, 2007.
For those with Internet access and a credit card, the process of getting an EZ Tag is simplified.
According to the Harris County Toll Road Authority web site, a one time activation fee of $15 per EZ Tag is charged to the account for the first three vehicles, each additional vehicle registered to the account is charged $10 per easy tag.
A $40 minimum deposit per each three vehicles registered, is required to open an EZ Account.
Having the funds directly deducted from a bank account requires $80 per each three vehicles, to be deposited into the account.
Don’t want to set up the account online? Fort Bend County residents with a credit card can visit one of the four locations where they sell the tags.
The closest is located at 1855 S. Sam Houston Tollway, near Almeda School Road. Motorists can go inside the toll plaza to sign up for an EZ Tag account. The plaza is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. and on Saturday from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Residents without credit cards will have to find another driving route for now.
Katherine Orellana, spokeswoman for the Toll Road Authority, said they are working on implementing the TxTag program with the toll road.
TxTag is like the EZ Tag, but works like a reloadable gift card, where users can add cash to keep funds in the account.
TxTags, a state operation handled by the Texas Department of Transportation, can be purchased at Texas AAA offices in Houston.
The TxTag has a draw back for users, if there isn’t enough money in the TxTag account to pass through the toll lane, the account holder is hit with a violation fee.
Orellana said they hope to have the TxTag option in place in the future, where Fort Bend County residents can buy their tag at a local supermarket.
Local residents aren’t happy about the change to EZ Tags, especially Susan Steely, a Lakeshore Harbor subdivision resident.
“I’m mad as I can be about this,” Steely said in an interview Monday. “I live at the end of the parkway at Highway 6 and bought this house less than a year ago because of access [to the toll road].”
She said toll roads are meant to increase accessibility, and the change to EZ Tags will create an inconvenience for people who live in the area.
“It’s a great toll road, hardly anyone’s ever on it and now this will restrict more people from it,” she said.
Steely said she is concerned that people who come to visit her from out of town won’t have EZ Tags and will have to drive out and around the toll road to get to her home.
Mad about the change to EZ Tags? Steely is looking to gather support to have the move stopped. She encouraged those opposed to contact her at (281) 416- 2049.
