E-ZPass made E-Zer

It’ll be life in the faster lane come Monday on the Mon-Fayette Expressway as the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission opens express E-ZPass lanes at the mainline toll plaza in Jefferson Hills.

Drivers with E-ZPass transponders can use the express lanes to cruise through the toll plaza at 55 mph rather than slowing down to 5 mph.

There will be one northbound and two southbound express lanes at the plaza, which collects tolls on the 17 miles from Route 51 in Jefferson Hills to Interstate 70 near Speers in Washington County. They are scheduled to open by 10 a.m.

The turnpike spent $6.5 million on the facility, the fifth to be installed on its highways.

Signs on the approaches will direct drivers to the proper lanes. The express E-ZPass lanes are divided from other lanes by concrete barriers. Cash customers who erroneously enter the express lanes should not slow down or stop — the turnpike will photograph their license plate and send a bill by mail.