After four years of testing, the Pennsylvania Turnpike is ready to move ahead with its $129 million project that will make its toll system completely cashless by the fall of 2021, writes Ed Blazina for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

“The pilot phase is behind us,” said Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission CEO Mark Compton. “The goal is to have the system completely cashless by the fall of 2021.”

Although the system will no longer take cash at that time, the agency will still continue to use booths at several ramps statewide until 2026.

These will be used for recording E-ZPass transponder signals or taking photographs of license plates, so that the bill can be mailed to drivers until the agency has completed its three-phase project of setting up 43 overhead gantries on the main line and Northeast Extension.

The switch to a cashless toll system will also eliminate the approximately 600 remaining jobs of the toll collectors and auditors. However, they will be given the opportunity to move to other turnpike jobs or retrain at the turnpike’s expense for a new career.

Read more about the Pennsylvania Turnpike in The Philadelphia Inquirer here.