Have you crossed the Ohio River from Indiana or Kentucky in the Louisville area lately? Do you have the tendency to fly by tolls without regard?
If you’ve answered “yes” to these questions, you might want to check your mailbox. Drivers who have received at least four unpaid Riverlink toll notices may now be subject to a frozen vehicle registration. Riverlink is the bi-state governing body which runs three bridges between southern Indiana and the Kentucky metropolis.
The new Riverlink rule will go into effect later this month, barring drivers from renewing their registration until the unpaid bridge tolls are paid in full. It is expected that 16,000 drivers from Kentucky and 19,000 drivers from Indiana will have their car registrations frozen after the toll enforcement mechanism begins.
Currently, unpaid toll fees total about $7 million; however, most individuals do not owe more than $100. Tolling began last December, and since then, the Riverlink system has collected $54 million from drivers.
Riverlink will issue a series of four notices over a period of 135 days once a driver violates the toll. The first notice states the toll fee, with a 30-day payment window. The second notice adds a $5 late fee, with a 20-day payment window. The third notice, called a violation notice, adds yet another $25 fine to the total, with another 30 days to pay the fine. The last collection notice includes all fees above, plus an additional $30, with a registration hold placed 10 days after mailing.
Riverlink customer service officials plan to make phone calls and send written notification of registration holds to vehicle owners.
“Our new and improved bridges mean faster and safer commutes for drivers every day, and are opening the door to new economic opportunities for our region,” said Megan McLain, innovative finance manager with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. “It’s important all drivers using the bridges pay their fair share. Vehicle registration holds are a common enforcement option used by several states to help ensure required tolls and fees are paid.”
Visit the Riverlink website for more information.
