The Philadelphia Inquirer has reported that fines are piling up for E-ZPass-only interchanges such as the new Jim Thorpe exit on the turnpike's Northeast Extension near Wilkes-Barre.

In Carbon County, 4,537 motorists used the ramps without an E-ZPass between June 30 and July 13, ignoring large green-and-purple-and-yellow signs proclaiming "E-ZPass Tagholders Only."As a result, people are receiving bills of nearly $65 from the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, which added up to about $300,000 in the first two weeks.The bill includes a $25 administrative fee and nearly $40 toll. The fees are based on an exit 400 miles away near the Ohio border.The newest E-ZPass-only ramp, which opened June 30, is the fourth such "slip ramp" on the turnpike.Other unstaffed, E-ZPass-only ramps were installed in 2000 at Virginia Drive (Montgomery County), 2010 at Street Road (Bucks County), and 2012 at State Route 29 (Chester County).The Turnpike Commission built the slip ramps as mini-exits, cheap and easy ways for motorists to get on and off the turnpike. But they are only for the 75 percent of turnpike motorists who have an E-ZPass to pay the toll.The turnpike imposes stiff penalties, based on a license-plate photo of the offending vehicle: a toll based on the farthest entry point, the Ohio border. A $25 administrative fee, which rises to $40 if you don't pay up within 30 days. Referral to collection agencies.About 11 percent of the drivers who used the new slip ramp in Carbon County at State Route 903 did not have E-ZPasses.That compares with fewer than 5 percent of the motorists who used the older slip ramp at State Route 29 during the same period. "It does tend to decrease over time as things balance out and people learn what E-ZPass is," turnpike spokesman Carl DeFebo said in an interview with the Inquirer.Earlier this month, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission officially opened the new interchange No. 87 that links Route 903 to the Pennsylvania Turnpike system.On July 8, a 20-year-old Barnesville woman died in a one-vehicle crash near the new ramp.State police at the Pocono barracks said Brittany Ann Lindenmuth died after the 10:28 a.m. rollover at milepost 87.4 northbound in Penn Forest Township, Carbon County.Police described the scene as a level asphalt roadway consisting of three lanes, two of which are northbound travel lanes and the other being an acceleration lane from Exit 87 (Jim Thorpe/Lake Harmony), the new E-ZPass slip ramp at the intersection of Route 903.Police said at the time of the crash, there was a movable left lane closure to remove signs from the center barrier. Two crash trucks were stopped in the left lane with lighted arrow boards activated, indicating the left lane closure, police said.A small truck with a message board was located on the east berm at approximately milepost 86.8 northbound, advising motorists of the left lane closure and a 55 mph speed limit.Police said Lindenmuth was driving a 2005 Saturn Ion sedan northbound in the left lane of traffic and was traveling behind another vehicle that approached the left lane closure.Police said the vehicle in front of Lindenmuth's car had moved into the right lane a short distance behind one of the crash trucks, at which time Lindenmuth lost control of her car when she abruptly swerved to the right to avoid a collision with the crash truck.The new $23 million Route 903 All-El E-Z Pass-only interchange provides additional access to and from the Pennsylvania Turnpike's Northeastern Extension in the Pocono Mountains.Along with new northbound and southbound on-and-off-ramps, the project includes construction of a new bridge over the turnpike and widening on Route 903 to accommodate turn lanes to the turnpike ramps.It's convenient, DeFebo previously said, because it is one of the longer stretches (just shy of 20 miles) of the northeastern extension currently without an interchange, so it will be reducing the distance of interchanges by half.DeFebo said the turnpike is headed to an All Electronic Tolling system, which would be E-Z Pass or a Pay-By-Plate video tolling system by around 2018-2019.The next stage of the conversion will begin early next year, DeFebo previously said.