News
Preparations Being Made for New Roadside Provider
New gantries will be erected for updated equipment
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Feb. 2, 2022) – The Joint Board for the Louisville-Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges Project met today and approved two resolutions related to the operations of the RiverLink tolling system.
One of the resolutions is related to new gantries in the project area. It authorizes the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) to move forward with the design and procurement of new gantries to prepare for a new roadside provider. A gantry is the physical structure onto which electronic tolling equipment is mounted. A consultant will help with the design work and procurement efforts. A vendor will be selected and installation will be coordinated at a later date.
With a new roadside provider expected to be in place in 2023, Indiana and Kentucky are moving forward with preparations that will expedite the transition and ensure continuity for motorists. New gantries will be erected near existing gantries at the tolled Lincoln, Kennedy and Lewis and Clark bridges.
Exact locations will be identified during the design process, but the gantries are expected to be around 100 feet away from existing gantries to prevent interference for sensors that rely on radio frequency technology.
Existing gantries may stay in place for possible future use. New gantries are anticipated to be erected to the side of the road and installed over the roadway when the new equipment is in place. This two-step process will help to limit disruptions to traffic and minimize needed lane closures.
The cameras and sensors on the gantries are used to capture crossings on tolled bridges and help determine vehicle classification.
Existing tolling equipment is nearing the end of its lifespan. Roadside tolling equipment typically has a 7 to 10-year life span. Tolling started at the end of 2016.
New Back Office Provider
In addition to a new roadside provider, a new back office provider is expected to be in place in 2023. Electronic Transaction Consultants (ETC) was selected as the new provider in June 2021. Back office services include image review, invoicing and customer service centers. ETC will operate walk-up centers in both states and a local customer service call center.
Additional Resolution
Another resolution passed today authorizes the Indiana Finance Authority to procure the services of a vendor or vendors to assist with the collection process. The vendor(s) could collaborate with the current and future toll services providers (TSP), Kapsch TrafficCom and ETC, to collect outstanding tolls and fees.
An outside vendor is expected to help ensure outstanding tolls are paid and that all drivers using the tolled bridges pay their fair share.
Note: The resolutions from the meeting are posted at RiverLink.com: https://riverlink.com/about/joint-board/.
Procurement Moves Forward for New Roadside Provider
New roadside provider expected to be in place in 2023
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Nov. 29, 2021) – The Joint Board for the Louisville-Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges Project met today and approved two resolutions related to the operations of the RiverLink tolling system.
One of the resolutions is related to procurement of a new toll services provider (TSP) for roadside services. It authorizes the Indiana Finance Authority (IFA) to act as the Contracting Party for the new roadside provider. Those services include installing, operating and maintaining the roadside equipment used to capture crossings on tolled bridges and determine vehicle classification (number of axles and vehicle height).
The request for proposal (RFP) for the new roadside provider is expected in early 2022. The new roadside provider (RSP2) is expected to be in place in 2023 before the TSP 1 contract expires. Roadside tolling equipment typically has a 7 to 10-year life span. Tolling started at the end of 2016.
The Joint Board approved a resolution in 2020 to procure a new back office provider (TSP2). Electronic Transaction Consultants (ETC) was selected as the new back office provider in June 2021. Back office services include image review, invoicing and customer service centers. ETC, which is expected to be in place in 2023, will operate walk-up centers in both states and a local customer service call center.
Additional Resolution
A second resolution passed today authorizes the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to act as the Contracting Party to procure a broker and business income insurance, which would cover a loss of income due to a slowdown or temporary suspension of operations because of damage to property. Business income insurance has been in place since prior to the start of tolling, and the current policy term expires in June 2022.
Joint Board
The Joint Board includes transportation and finance leaders from Indiana and Kentucky. It’s made up of the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) commissioner, the Indiana public finance director, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet secretary and the Kentucky Public Transportation Infrastructure Authority (KPTIA) chairman, or their designees.
The Joint Board was created to have long-term oversight and management responsibility for the Ohio Rivers Bridges Project. Bi-state tolling representatives handle the day-to-day administration of the tolling system.
Note: The resolutions from the meeting are posted at RiverLink.com: https://riverlink.com/about/joint-board/.
I-65 North Overnight Lane Closures Scheduled
Three lanes expected to close overnight Tuesday LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Oct. 12, 2021) – Overnight lane closures are scheduled Tuesday on I-65 North near the Abraham Lincoln Bridge. Three lanes and a shoulder will be closed for maintenance of tolling equipment. The closures…
Selection of New Toll Services Provider is Confirmed
ETC will operate a local customer service center
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (June 25, 2021) – The Joint Board for the Louisville-Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges Project met today and approved a resolution to confirm and ratify the selection of a new toll services provider (TSP) for the RiverLink tolling system. Electronic Transaction Consultants, LLC (ETC) is expected to begin operating the customer service center and back office services by July 1, 2023.
ETC will operate a local customer service center (back office operations). A specific location has yet to be determined, but requirements call for the center to be within a 15-mile radius of the Abraham Lincoln Bridge that connects downtown Louisville and Jeffersonville, Indiana. The number of jobs is yet to be determined. Monthly performance requirements will be in place. ETC will staff accordingly to meet or exceed those requirements.
There will be an extended amount of overlap for customer service and back office services with the current TSP, Kapsch TrafficCom USA, Inc. (TSP1). That will allow for coordination, account-data migration and a seamless transition for customers.
Customers will not be impacted by the transition, but they should expect improvements and efficiencies in the customer experience with the new and updated services. All points of RiverLink contact (two customer service centers, website, email and phone) will remain the same for customers until the new provider is in place in 2023.
ETC (TSP2) is expected to have notice to proceed next month. The 10-year contract includes development and implementation of new services and seven years of toll service operations. The total contract price is estimated to be $79.3 million.
Customer and back office services include image review, invoicing and customer service representatives at the call center and local customer service centers.
TSP1 will continue to operate roadside services include installing, operating and maintaining the roadside equipment that is used to capture crossings on tolled bridges and determine vehicle classification (number of axles and vehicle height).
The Joint Board approved the separation of toll services in June 2020. It’s a practice being used by more tolling systems to offer increased competition, opening the process to more potential providers and resulting in greater checks and balances between the two. The separation allows each provider to focus on the services it does best and is expected to provide more flexibility for the tolling system.
Nine firms submitted proposals for TSP2 services in December 2020 and interviews, proof of concept and a best and final offer followed. ETC emerged as the apparent best value for TSP2 services.
Joint Board
The Joint Board includes transportation and finance leaders from Indiana and Kentucky. It’s made up of the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) commissioner, the Indiana public finance director, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet secretary and the Kentucky Public Transportation Infrastructure Authority (KPTIA) chairman, or their designees.
The Joint Board was created to have long-term oversight and management responsibility for the Ohio Rivers Bridges Project. Bi-state tolling representatives handle the day-to-day administration of the tolling system.
Note: The resolution from the meeting is posted at RiverLink.com: https://riverlink.com/about/joint-board/.
Reminder: New Toll Rates Effective July 1
Toll rates are updated every year
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (June 17, 2021) – New toll rates for three bridges connecting Louisville and Southern Indiana begin July 1, 2021. Rates will range from $2.21 to $13.26, depending on the size of the vehicle and whether the driver has a prepaid account.
Drivers with prepaid accounts in good standing and transponders pay the lowest toll rates and save more than $2 per crossing. In a passenger vehicle, the savings is 50% per crossing. The easiest way to maintain a positive account balance is by choosing auto-replenishment and linking the account to a valid payment method.
Toll revenue is used to meet the financial obligations of the Ohio River Bridges Project and to pay for operations and maintenance of the bridges and roadways in the project area.
Tolling is in place on the I-65 Abraham Lincoln Bridge, I-65 Kennedy Bridge and SR 265/KY 841 Lewis and Clark Bridge connecting Prospect, Ky. and Utica, Ind.
Toll rates increase annually by 2.5 percent unless the rate of inflation (as measured by the Consumer Price Index) is higher. Tolling, a bi-state effort between Indiana and Kentucky, started Dec. 30, 2016.
Overnight Lane Closures Planned for I-65 North
A second night of maintenance is planned for tolling equipment
JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (June 11, 2021) – A second night of overnight lane closures is planned tonight on I-65 North, just north of the Abraham Lincoln Bridge. The three right lanes of I-65 North will be closed near the toll gantry to complete maintenance on toll equipment.
The closures are scheduled to begin around 9 p.m. Friday and end by 5 a.m. Saturday. All ramps will remain open to traffic.
The actual starting date and duration may be adjusted if inclement weather or other unforeseen activities occur.
Overnight Lane Closures Planned for I-65 North
Routine maintenance is planned for tolling equipment
JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (June 10, 2021) – Overnight lane closures are scheduled this week on I-65 North, just north of the Abraham Lincoln Bridge. The single night of closures is scheduled Thursday, June 10. The three right lanes of I-65 North will be closed near the toll gantry to perform maintenance on toll equipment. All ramps will remain open to traffic.
The lane closures are scheduled to begin around 9 p.m. and end by 5 a.m. If inclement weather prevents the work from being completed, crews plan to perform the work overnight Friday, June 11. Drivers should be alert and slow down in the work area.
The actual starting date and duration may be adjusted if inclement weather or other unforeseen activities occur.
Overnight Lane Closures Scheduled Next Two Weeks
Routine maintenance is planned for tolling equipment
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (April 19, 2021) – Overnight lane closures are scheduled for two weeks near the Kennedy, Lincoln and Lewis and Clark bridges. The closures near the toll gantries and RiverLink rate signage will allow for routine maintenance of tolling equipment and digital signs.
The work is scheduled to begin overnight Monday, April 19 and end by Friday, April 30. The closures are expected weeknights between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., except for Wednesday, April 28 when closures are expected to begin at 7 p.m. All ramps will be open. Drivers should be alert, watch for signage and slow down in the work area.
Work is scheduled for the following dates and locations, but the actual starting date and duration may be adjusted if inclement weather or other unforeseen activities occur.
- Monday, April 19 and Tuesday, April 20: I-65 South near the Kennedy Bridge (three lanes and shoulder)
- Wednesday, April 21 and Thursday, April 22: KY 841 near Lewis and Clark Bridge (one lane and one shoulder)
- Friday, April 23: I-65 North near the Lincoln Bridge (three lanes and shoulder)
- Monday, April 26: I-65 North near the Lincoln Bridge (two lanes and shoulder) and Exit 0 (Court Avenue) in Indiana (one lane)
- Tuesday, April 27: Lane and shoulder closures near toll rate signage on I-65
- Wednesday April 28: Lane and shoulder closures near toll rate signage on I-64, I-71 and KY 841
- Thursday, April 29 and Friday, April 30: Complete any work postponed by weather or other unforeseen circumstances
Refunds Processed After Short-Term Payment Issue
Impacted customers have been identified and contacted
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (March 19, 2021) – Refunds are being processed after a short-term issue with the operating system caused isolated payment issues on Thursday, March 18. A very small group of customers using auto-replenishment and some account payments were impacted.
About a dozen customers who use auto-replenishment saw multiple charges to their payment source on file. Kapsch TrafficCom, the toll system provider, has identified those customers and representatives have contacted them directly or left a message with impacted customers. All payments and any associated charges will be refunded. It may take a few days for the refund to post to the payment source.
There was also a small number of payments applied to the wrong accounts, and those payments have been corrected.
The system issue, related to identifying information for transactions, was quickly identified and the payment system was temporarily closed for maintenance to correct the matter.
No action is needed by impacted customers. All transactions have been closely reviewed, refunds are being processed and proper payments have been applied.
Joint Board Approves Change Order Resolution
Customer Service Performance Requirements Added for TSP
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Dec. 1, 2020) – The Joint Board met today and approved a single resolution for a change order to the Toll Services Agreement for the Toll System Provider (TSP). Kapsch TrafficCom serves as the TSP. The change order includes modification of customer service performance requirements and liquidated damages related to those requirements. It also includes pass-through costs for out-of-state lookups and supplemental customer service representatives and supervisors.
The Joint Board and TSP believe the customer service requirements and the additional staffing, as needed, will result in more consistency in meeting customer service needs. Successful out-of-state lookups to locate addresses for the purposes of sending invoices help to ensure all drivers enjoying the benefits of the bridges are paying their fair share.
Additions and modifications were made to customer service performance requirements. They include the following:
- The maximum call wait time shall not exceed 10 minutes with daily reporting on this requirement.
- Semi-monthly reporting will be required for the existing requirement that a minimum of 80 percent of calls be answered by a live representative within 60 seconds.
- Customer service staff will be scheduled to comply with the requirement that no more than 4 percent of calls are abandoned after 60 seconds.
Additional provisions of the change order require the TSP to pay liquidated damages to the Joint Board when the customer service performance requirements are not met. They include:
- The TSP shall pay the Joint Board $100 for each event in which the call wait time is ten minutes or longer.
- When a minimum of 80 percent of calls are not answered by a live representative within 60 seconds, the TSP shall pay the Joint Board $500 for every percent or portion of a percent below 80 percent during semi-monthly reporting.
- When more than 4 percent of customer service calls are abandoned after 60 seconds, the TSP shall pay the Joint Board $300 for every percent or portion of a percent above four percent for the day, as measured on a daily basis.
The TSP can deduct liquidated damages owed from its monthly operations and maintenance fee invoice.
Pass-Through Costs
The change order also includes additional costs the TSP will be passing through to the states on its monthly invoice. Those additional costs include:
- The Joint Board will pay 80 percent of the actual cost for out-of-state lookup, up to $1 per lookup. The lookup includes license plate and registration searches for vehicles registered outside of Kentucky and Indiana.
- The Joint Board will pay for additional customer service staffing beyond 20 full-time representatives, as needed, to help meet performance requirements.
- The Joint Board will pay for supplemental supervisors for every 15 customer service representatives added beyond the baseline of 20 representatives.
The change order includes a total change in price, to be paid in a single lump sum to the TSP, of $2.9 million. The total includes $1.6 million for 80 percent of the cost of out-of-state lookups from January 2019 through September 2020. The additional $1.3 million is for additional customer service representatives and supervisors for February 2019 – November 2019.
Joint Board
The Joint Board includes transportation and finance leaders from Indiana and Kentucky. It’s made up of the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) commissioner, the Indiana public finance director, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet secretary and the Kentucky Public Transportation Infrastructure Authority (KPTIA) chairman, or their designees.
The Joint Board was created to have long-term oversight and management responsibility for the Ohio Rivers Bridges Project. Bi-state tolling representatives handle the day-to-day administration of the tolling system.
Note: Resolutions and supporting documents from the meeting will be posted at riverlink.com: https://riverlink.com/about/joint-board/.
