Tollway contractors gets more cash, oversight

Illinois tollway leaders agreed to pay an extra $12.3 million to a contractor that's been criticized for issuing late toll violation notices and to hire outside experts to keep an eye on it.

The decision Thursday by the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority's board of directors came after some officials raised objections about the extra payout to Electronic Transaction Consultants at an April meeting.

ETC manages the bulk of the I-PASS system for the agency. Its software programs are the brains behind collecting tolls and it installs the equipment and infrastructure for reading I-PASS transponders.

The company also handles toll violations and late fees, which is generating the controversy over the $12.3 million charge.

ETC in 2006 and 2007 accumulated a 13-month lag in issuing violation notices because of miscommunication between it and the previous contractor. This coincided with multiple cases of misreads of license plates. As a result, hundreds of motorists were hit with unexpected fines, many that had skyrocketed in cost because of the delay.

Several tollway directors April 30 balked at approving ETC's request for additional funds but were in a more forgiving mood this week.

Agency staff explained the growth of the I-PASS and Open Road Tolling programs were underestimated in the original $69.5 million contract, which stretches from June 2005 to June 2010. Some specific extra costs include performing maintenance work at night to reduce traffic delays and installing equipment for additional I-PASS lanes in communities. Officials also noted that the agency had withheld about $2.4 million in payments to ETC because of the violation problems.

While problems with late violation notices had been "painful," "the violation system is a very small part" of ETC's portfolio, Acting Executive Director Michael King said.

Before voting, Director Steven Harris, who is Deerfield's mayor, asked that additional tollway staff and outside consultants who were technology experts be hired to keep tabs on ETC.

Officials agreed to move forward on hiring seven more information technology employees to monitor ETC, among other duties, and to seek proposals from technology firms.

The tollway is offering a Spring Cleaning program giving motorists with hefty late fees a change to get them reduced through June 30.