No more stopping: Toll booths to be removed when Kansas Turnpike goes cashless in July

Joseph Hernandez
·3 min read

After initially announcing its plans four years ago, the Kansas Turnpike is finally going cashless in 2024.

The Kansas Turnpike Authority Board announced Jan. 17 that starting in July, the cash collection equipment and toll booths will be removed and the entire roadway will move to cashless tolling at the same time. This means you will no longer have to stop at the toll booths and dig for loose change or pull out your credit card to pay the tolls.

There will be 21 overhead toll gantries placed between the current toll plazas along the 236-mile turnpike. Each time drivers pass underneath, they will be charged a per-mile toll, either through their K-TAG sticker or with their license plate. If you have a K-TAG or another type of device, you will pay half of what it costs without a device.

The toll booths will take around 18 months to remove, but traffic will be able to keep moving, according to Rachel Bell, director of business services and customer relations for the Kansas Turnpike Authority. She said the agency will put up signs around the booths reminding drivers that they do not have to stop anymore.

The structure will keep the Kansas Turnpike at the bottom of toll rates across the country, according to the board.

“This change will be especially beneficial for customers who drive shorter distances, such as Kansans commuting to work or school,” Deb Miller, chairperson of the Kansas Turnpike Authority Board, said in a statement.

Before this change takes place in July, here is what you need to know about the cashless tolls and how much it will cost you.

What is a K-TAG?

A K-TAG is a small device that is read at toll booths electronically.

The most common K-TAG on the Kansas Turnpike is a small sticker that you can place on the inside of your vehicle’s windshield, which is free for customers to order online. You can also get a K-TAG to mount on your bumper for $25.

You will have to create an account on the K-TAG website and link your account to a valid bank account, credit or debit cart. You will also receive a bill at the end of the month.

How does cashless tolling work?

Toll equipment will be located above the Kansas Turnpike to collect tolls using a K-TAG, compatible device or license plate.

Depending on what you use, your toll will be charged to your K-TAG sticker, device or you will receive a bill in the mail using the information registered to the license plate.

If you already have a K-TAG or another compatible transponder, you will not need to replace it. Toll devices currently accepted on the Kansas Turnpike will still be accepted after they convert to cashless tolling, according to the Kansas Turnpike Authority.

The change is expected to eliminate congestion when exiting the Turnpike because there will be no more waiting in line to pay a toll or getting stuck behind someone in the wrong lane

What is the toll rate?

The cashless toll rates are calculated per mile and will cost as follows based on your vehicle’s axle class once it is implemented in July:

  • Class 2: $.048 per mile for K-TAG users, $.096 per mile for license plate users.

  • Class 3: $.066 per mile for K-TAG users, $.132 per mile for license plate users

  • Class 4: $.092 per mile for K-TAG users, $.184 per mile for license plate users

  • Class 5: $.138 per mile for K-TAG users, $.276 per mile for license plate users

  • Class 6: $.187 per mile for K-TAG users, $.374 per mile for license plate users

  • Class 7: $.258 per mile for K-TAG users, $.516 per mile for license plate users

  • Class 8: $.303 per mile for K-TAG users, $.606 per mile for license plate users

  • Class 9: $.334 per mile for K-TAG users, $.668 per mile for license plate users

The Star’s Bob Cronkleton contributed to this report.