Skip to main content

International bridge opens new toll lanes, upgrades system

The Sault Ste Marie International Bridge, which connects Sault Ste Marie, Michigan, and Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, is opening new toll lanes and upgrading its system with new software and new frequent user discounts. The International Bridge Authority (IBA) began opening the new lanes this week as part of a US$7 million project undertaken in coordination with the Mackinac Bridge Authority and the Michigan portion of the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron. The toll software upgrades, which are necessary be
August 11, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
The Sault Ste Marie International Bridge, which connects Sault Ste Marie, Michigan, and Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, is opening new toll lanes and upgrading its system with new software and new frequent user discounts.

The International Bridge Authority (IBA) began opening the new lanes this week as part of a US$7 million project undertaken in coordination with the Mackinac Bridge Authority and the Michigan portion of the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron.

The toll software upgrades, which are necessary because the current software is obsolete and will no longer be supported, will cost US$2.4 million over ten years.

The IBA’s toll system upgrade is also being coordinated with the larger US$8.9 million toll plaza reconstruction effort.

IBA officials expect all three permanent northbound lanes and two permanent southbound lanes to be fully functional by 12 August. The remaining two permanent southbound lanes are slated to go online in late September after the demolition of the old IBA administration building. When complete, the toll plaza will have four southbound and three northbound lanes.

Related Content

  • Rhode Island RhodeWorks plan opposed by ATA
    May 29, 2015
    Rhode Island government (RIDOT) has introduced its RhodeWorks plan, designed to address the state's crumbling transportation infrastructure. Rhode Island ranks 50th out of 50 states in overall bridge condition and has lost 1,200 in the construction sector over the past three months. RhodeWorks is focused on solving these two problems at once.
  • Toll roads important to Trump’s infrastructure plan
    January 10, 2017
    According to The Hill, US toll roads may surge under a US$1 trillion infrastructure proposal being floated by Donald Trump. The president elect’s idea for rebuilding the nation’s roads and bridges relies on private companies instead of the federal government to back transportation projects. Experts believe this means investors will be attracted to projects that can recoup their investment costs using some sort of revenue stream, such as through tolls or user fees. “If he moves forward with an infrastr
  • The inside story of how traffic chaos was avoided after I-95 collapse
    August 23, 2023
    June’s collapse of major US roadway I-95 in Pennsylvania could have caused lengthy traffic chaos. But - relatively speaking at least - it didn’t and gridlock was avoided. Alan Dron finds out why
  • Need for simpler urban tolling solutions
    January 10, 2013
    A common assumption, even amongst informed observers, is that there’s but a handful of urban charging schemes in operation around the world and scant prospect of that changing any time soon. Larger city-sized schemes such as Singapore, London and Stockholm come readily to mind but if we take a wider view and also consider urban access control and Low Emission Zones (LEZs) then the picture changes rather radically. There is a notable concentration of such schemes in Europe but worldwide the number is comfort