“It’s a really important thing for us to do because we have so much congestion,” said Bridge Manager Linda Shames.

She said the port has seen a tremendous response with 800 people signing up so far for the service.

“My goal was about 1,000, which is about the number using the bypass lanes during the summer,” Shames said. “Most are regular commuters.”

One of those was Jenny Collett, of White Salmon, Wash., who was crossing the bridge Thursday evening close to 5 p.m.

“I live in White Salmon but my kids go to Hood River schools, to Horizon Christian School, so I cross at least four times a day,” she said. “(Breeze By) is great, although it was slow getting it started.”

While the port has been taking reservations for some time for the passes, the system’s debut was delayed by several weeks from the initial target date. Two hundred transponders had been mailed out so far but port employees were busy stuffing envelopes to go out in the mail.

Because of the delay, the port chose to allow tickets through the bypass lines until Monday. After then, only those signed up with Breeze By will be able to use the outside lanes.

Shames thinks that after people see the system at work, the number who buy electronic passes will increase. However, there are no plans to get rid of tickets anytime soon.

“Many seasonal visitors use those as well as many businesses reimburse their employees with tickets,” she said.

Breeze By is a form of electronic tolling that works via a small microchip embedded in a sticker that adheres to the driver’s windshield. The driver pulls up to the gate, an antennae reads the number off the tag and then the gate is lifted. Video cameras are also mounted on the plaza to identify people who try to evade the toll. For those people, the camera takes a snapshot of the vehicle’s license plate and they are mailed a type of ticket known as a V-toll.

For accounts that are good to go, the light turns green, for accounts that are down to $10 left in the account, a yellow caution light comes on, and for accounts that need money added then a red light will come on and the gate won’t lift.

The port had extra staff on Thursday and through this weekend to help explain the changes. The temporary toll booths on the outside bypass lanes will be removed Monday.

Only those with the Breeze By passes will be allowed to use the outside lanes. They can use the inside lanes as well, which will also take all other customers. That includes cash and tickets. The 800 pass holders are split right now between 75 percent individual accounts and 25 percent commercial. Shames said because of the system’s detailed statements that many businesses prefer it.

“We record every trip over the bridge and for someone who may have multiple drivers, they can assign each one a name so they can track their business,” she said.

The port chose to go with the TransCore brand of passes because it is what the Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is using at Tacoma Narrows. Since Oregon doesn’t have any roads or bridges using electronic tolling yet; Shames said they had to look north for ideas.

“WSDOT is way ahead with tolling technology,” she said. The port is using Tolltex software from New Jersey and HNTB engineering as the firm that has installed the hardware.