Melanie Lekocevic is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media the demolition of the Exit 21B toll plaza on the New York State Thruway in Coxsackie is expected to begin in late April. All toll plazas on the Thruway were scheduled for removal in 2021 after the state transitioned to a cashless tolling system. Demolition of the Coxsackie toll plaza was originally scheduled to begin last week, but was pushed back to late April, Jonathan Dougherty, deputy director of media relations and communications for the New York State Thruway Authority, said. While specifics of the demolition are still not known, Dougherty said similar toll plaza removals have started around 6 p.m. The toll plaza at Exit 21, in Catskill, is tentatively planned for removal in June. Entry in Catskill is limited to one lane and two lanes are open for exiting. Drivers will be able to enter and exit the Thruway during the removal process, which takes approximately one week. “They go lane by lane and dismantle it in pieces,” Dougherty said. The contractor will demolish the toll booths at 52 locations on the Thruway by the end of the summer, according to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office. Demolition of the toll plazas is the second and final portion of the state’s $355 million cashless tolling project. Cashless tolling — with drivers either paying with an E-ZPass unit affixed to their windshield or through Toll by Mail — began November 14. Read the ful story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.