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Monday, December 9, 2024

Pennsylvania Raises Tolls

 

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission has recently approved a 6 percent toll increase for E-ZPass and cash customers. The increase goes into effect on Jan. 7, 2018.

Common toll for Class 5 vehicles will go up from $10.17 to $10.78 for E-ZPass users and $14.45 to $15.35 for truckers paying cash.

Toll increases will apply to the entire turnpike with the following exceptions:
No increase for E-ZPass or Toll-By-Plate customers at the Delaware River Bridge westbound cashless toll (No. 359) in Bucks County;
Rates will not increase until April 2018 at Keyser Avenue (No. 122) and Clarks Summit (No. 131) on the Northeastern Extension at Interstate 476 in Lackawanna County as they move to cashless tolling; and
Rates will not increase until April 2018 at the Findlay Connector (PA Turnpike 576, Allegheny and Washington Counties) as it also moves to cashless tolling.

Next year’s toll increase marks the 10th consecutive increase for the PA Turnpike system. A 2007 law, Act 44, required PTC to pitch in $450 million annually to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for mass transit and other PennDOT projects. Money from PTC to PennDOT does not have to be used for turnpike-related projects.

In 2013, Act 89 decreased PTC’s obligation to $50 million a year starting in 2023. Annual toll increases ranging from 3 to 6 percent are necessary to keep up with debts and obligations, PTC Chairman Sean Logan said in statement last year. Increases will continue through 2044, and payments totalling $5 billion will be made through 2057.