U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for November 16

WASHINGTON, Nov. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16: AUTOMATIC TOLL COLLECTION

Profile America — Wednesday, November 16th.  A device many of us resent but which saves a lot of time, first went into service this week in 1954 — the automatic toll collection machine.  It was installed at the Union Toll Plaza on New Jersey's Garden State Parkway.  Motorists dropped coins into a wire mesh hopper, triggering a green light that told them to proceed.  The idea soon caught on at toll roads around the country, reducing the number of booth attendants and speeding cars on their way.  Many toll roads now offer electronic devices that allow motorists to pay their fee without even stopping.  There are more than 4,800 miles of toll roads in the U.S. — a tiny fraction of the more than 4 million miles of roads crisscrossing the nation.  You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov.

Sources:  Chase's Calendar of Events 2011, p. 564

Statistical Abstract of the United States 2009, t. 1049

Statistical Abstract of the United States 2012, t. 1088

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for “Multimedia Gallery” by the “Newsroom” button).  

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau