The Ohio Turnpike's new, revamped toll collection plaza project is nearing its final phases of completion.

According to Ohio Turnpike Public Information Officer, Charles Cyrill, more than 20 construction projects including four new and reconstruction mainline toll plazas are required to modernize the toll collection system.

This new system will create open-road tolling lanes for E-Z Pass customers so they can keep traveling non-stop across the state. Drivers without an E-Z Pass will still need to stop and pay their tolls with cash or a credit card via automatic toll payment machines (ATPMs).

There will also be new cameras to capture the license plates of toll violators and gates will always remain up for E-Z Pass customers. Gates will remain closed for non-customers in order to accommodate customers paying tolls with cash or card.

Additionally, nine toll plazas including plazas 215 and 216 in Lordstown, as well as 218 (Niles-Youngstown), 232 (Youngstown) and 234 (Youngstown-Poland) will become non-tolled.

A map of the modernized system is pictured below.

Cyrill tells 21 News one of the most significant changes includes the construction of three new toll plazas and one reconstructed one.

The four mainline toll plazas include two in the Mahoning Valley. Newton Falls Toll Plaza at milepost 211 in Trumbull County and Eastgate Toll Plaza at milepost 239 in Mahoning County respectively.

One of the major projects includes upgrades to 20 toll plaza interchanges from Toll Plaza 52 in Toledo and Toll Plaza 209 in Warren. 

Cyrill tells 21 News most drivers on the Turnpike have already caught a glimpse of the new tolling system, so the transition to the new system will be "seamless."

"The construction projects are nearing the final phases of completion. Activation of the new toll collection system is contingent upon the proper configuration and successful testing of all hardware components and software, including the back-office system for electronic tolling and billing," Cyrill said.

Cyrill says the cost of the new system stands at $270 million, but the final costs will be determined once the project is completed.