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Dozens of residents flock to open house on Hatem E-ZPass

Maryland Transportation Authority employee Patricia Keeton explains the E-Z Pass transponder to a user after his purchase during Wednesday night's open house in Havre de Grace.
Maryland Transportation Authority employee Patricia Keeton explains the E-Z Pass transponder to a user after his purchase during Wednesday night's open house in Havre de Grace. (Matt Button | Record Staff, Patuxent Homestead)

Dozens of residents streamed into the Havre de Grace Activity Center on Wednesday for an open house held by the Maryland Transportation Authority about the new E-ZPass program for Hatem Bridge users.

At least 55 people had stopped by the center by about 5:30 p.m., just half an hour after the event started, to ask questions about how the switch from AVI decals to E-ZPass transponders will work and purchase the new transponders, MdTA spokeswoman Teri Moss said.

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Moss said a few people arrived about a half an hour before the doors opened, which she said is typical for events in Havre de Grace.

The open house is one of two scheduled in the area. The second will take place from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Feb. 21 at Perryville High School.

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"I think most people just ask how it works," Moss said. "Since it's a new thing, they are not sure about the plans, and basically have some questions [like] where you put the transponder."

Moss said the MdTA was not sure how many people to expect, but the 23 staff members on hand clearly had their hands full answering residents' questions.

"Everyone's busy," she said.

Moss said at about 5:30 p.m. they may have to get more staff members to help process E-ZPass payments. At that time, 42 people had already bought E-ZPass transponders.

"A lot of people are paying cash," she noted.

Residents who dropped by the open house mostly had basic questions or were interested in buying a transponder, and appeared very satisfied with MdTA staff as they walked away.

They seemed resigned to the reality that the cost of crossing the bridge would go up, although they were still generally not pleased about it.

George W. Blake and Fred Racine, both of Havre de Grace, were two of those who came to buy transponders.

"We don't like the price, but we have to pay it," Racine said.

Blake said getting the E-ZPass was something residents just needed to do.

"It's just like anything else, you need it," he said.

Lee and Judy Haney, of Aberdeen, said they came because they wanted to clear up some rumors about the transponders.

They had thought the AVI decals would just be exchanged for transponders, and found out that was not the case.

"It would make sense if they would honor that," Lee Haney said about the idea of AVI decals being simply replaced, instead of residents having to buy a transponder.

He also did not see the need for the switch.

"I don't see what's wrong with the AVIs. They have been working for 20 years," he said.

Lee Haney said MdTA officials told them just to wait until their decals get closer to expiring and then get the transponder online.

Patty Denney, of Havre de Grace, said she bought the Hatem Bridge-only transponder, and was happy with the service at the open house, explaining her questions were "answered pretty clearly."

Denney's question had been about how long her AVI decal, which had cost $10 for a year of unlimited travel on the bridge, would last.

Like the Haneys, she was not exactly thrilled with the new program, but was resigned to it.

"I just feel like as the prices keep going up into 2013, for some of us who are seniors and retired, it's going to put another burden on our finances," she said.

Staff members at the open house said a lot of people had out-of-state transponders and wanted to know if they needed to switch to Maryland's, and also had some false information about the E-ZPass fees.

People think there might be a monthly fee after the first year of the program, staff members said, but the only fee is a $1.50 charge if the E-ZPass transponder is used less than three times, which is unlikely to happen.

The new Hatem Bridge E-ZPass became available Feb. 1, and MdTA is encouraging people to buy into the program online to avoid long lines at the two service centers, one in Perryville right after the Hatem Bridge and one by the MdTA administration building on Turnpike Drive, also in Perryville.

All users must switch to one of two E-ZPass plans by Sept. 30 at the latest. Both plans, available for two-axle vehicles only, offer unlimited trips for an annual cost of $10.

Beginning July 1, 2013, the Hatem Bridge plans will increase to $20 per year. Both service centers are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday; the JFK center will also be open from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.

For additional information, go to or call E-ZPass customer service toll-free, 1-888-321-6824.

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