People Are Still Making the Same EZ Pass Error on the Maine Turnpike

Editor's note: This article was written by a Townsquare Media Northern New England contributor and may contain the individual's views, opinions or personal experiences.

EZ Pass has been a thing in Maine for over a decade now, but still manages to cause confusion on a daily basis for some motorists, specifically at toll booths. EZ Pass fast lanes have helped negate some of the issue, but at on-ramp toll booths, the same small but irritating problem continues to come up.

The issue boils down to this; if you have an EZ Pass, use whatever lane you'd like. If you're heading south and the toll lane closest to the southern ramp is open, head on through using your EZ Pass. Don't worry, the toll booth attendant won't be offended. The Maine Turnpike went as far as to confirm that.

There's also been another persistent issue at on-ramp toll booths involving EZ Pass lanes: the unexplained need for motorists to come to a near-complete stop as they pass through the EZ Pass lane. While the speed limit is 10 miles per hour through most toll lanes, the EZ Pass transponder does not require your vehicle to come to a complete stop to read it.

Thankfully, several of the new no-stop EZ Pass lanes have helped eliminate some of the bottleneck and traffic jams that existed at the York and Augusta toll plazas. The Maine Turnpike continues to widen the southern portion of the highway to relieve congestion on the busy roadway as well. Motorists can continue to do their part at on-ramps, however, by using all entrance lanes if they're an EZ Pass holder and by not coming to a complete stop as they pass through any entrance lane.