Tolls on the new Golden Ears Bridge will be collected electronically without toll booths when the new span over the Fraser River opens next summer.

The system is called QuickPass and details have now been released on what will be the first system of its kind in western Canada.

"There will be no toll booths and vehicles will not stop or slow down to pay the toll," said TransLink vice-president Fred Cummings.

Bridge sensors will automatically detect an on-board electronic transponder in the vehicles of frequent bridge users and deduct the toll from their QuickPass accounts.

They'll get a discounted toll of $2.85 for cars and most other standard vans, pickup trucks and SUVs.

The toll rises to $3.45 per crossing for those who register for the payment system but don't lease a transponder (a cost of $1 per month). They'll be detected by license plate recognition cameras.

And other motorists who cross without registering for a QuickPass account will be billed later by mail – they'll pay $4. Those who refuse to pay will eventually be unable to renew driver's licences or vehicle insurance.

Out-of-province vehicles will be able to avoid paying, but officials expect the bridge to attract primarily local traffic.

There are different rates for other vehicle types.

Small trucks, as well as RVs and cars towing trailers, will pay $5.75 to $6.80 depending on whether they have a transponder or not.

Large trucks will pay $8.60 to $9.75. Motorcycles pay $1.45 to $2.55.

Bicycles, electric bikes and pedestrians are exempt, as are transit and emergency vehicles.

The first 30 days after the bridge opens will be toll-free.

"The bridge is 80 per cent complete and we are on schedule to open to traffic in the summer of 2009," Cummings said.

The crossing is expected to slash commute times, particularly between cities like Maple Ridge and Surrey.

"For the first time, residents will be able to cross this part of the river in just a few minutes," Cummings said.

The bridge is a six-lane one-kilometre cable-stayed span connecting Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge to Surrey and Langley.

The $808-million project includes 13 kilometres of new roads connecting the bridge to area highways.

The Albion ferry will stop service when the new toll bridge opens.

See http://www.translink.ca/goldenearsbridge/ for more details.