Thursday, the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA) honored the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority with a Toll Excellence Award for its ongoing effort to upgrade its fiberoptic backbone and increase connectivity to make the more than 600 miles managed by the turnpike authority better equipped for interoperability with other state tolling systems and cashless tolling. The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority was recognized by IBTTA in the Technology category of the Toll Excellence Awards.

“A solid fiberoptic backbone is vital to the continued, reliable operation of an all-electronic tolling system, which has to collect and communicate an enormous amount of data in a very short period of time,” said Mark Compton, CEO of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and IBTTA president. “The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority’s innovative effort to turn its system into something state-of-the-art is just the sort of technological investment toll operators make that is rarely acknowledged but delivers immense benefits to drivers.”

“This installation of a new fiber backbone will bring our toll roads into the 21st century and quite literally pave the way to all-electronic tolling in Oklahoma. The result will be a significant reduction in congestion and safer roads for drivers and workers,” said Joe Echelle, deputy director of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority. “We appreciate IBTTA for recognizing our efforts and consider our Toll Excellence Award to be another testament to the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority’s commitment to providing outstanding service to its customers.”

IBTTA presents the annual Toll Excellence Awards to highlight the very best projects, innovations and solutions from the international tolling industry. In addition to the Technology category, the Toll Excellence Awards recognize achievement in five other categories: Administration and Finance; Customer Service and Marketing Outreach; Private Sector Innovation; Social Responsibility; and Toll Operations, Engineering and Maintenance.