DOT officials eye E-ZPass speeders

MERRIMACK – State transportation officials are ready to lay down the law and revoke E-ZPass accounts from people who speed through E-ZPass lanes in Merrimack and around the state.

The state Department of Transportation said Monday that it will be working with state police to more strictly enforce the 35-mph speed limit approaching tollbooths and the 10-mph limit through the E-ZPass lanes.

Incidents of speeding in those areas are being tracked, according to DOT spokesperson Bill Boynton, and speeders will soon receive letters telling them to slow down. The letters will include the offender’s E-ZPass transponder number and the date and time of the offense. Repeat offenders may have their E-ZPass accounts suspended, he said.

“Speeding through E-ZPass lanes has become a very serious safety issue for drivers, other motorists and Turnpikes toll plaza staff,” DOT Commissioner George Campbell said. “The existing toll facilities have limited lane widths and are not constructed to accommodate vehicles at highway speeds.”

A month of speed measurements on the state’s turnpikes found that more than 42,000 vehicles exceeded 40 mph through E-ZPass lanes, according to Boynton.