Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission Approves 6 Percent Toll Increase For Next Year
HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) -- Commuters will be paying a higher toll on the Pennsylvania Turnpike next year.
On Tuesday, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission approved a 6 percent toll increase for E-ZPass and cash customers.
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The increase will take effect at 12:01 a.m. on Jan. 7, 2018.
Pennsylvania Turnpike spokesman Carl DeFebo:
"The most common toll for a passenger vehicle is going to go up from a $1.23 to $1.30 for E-ZPass customers, and from $1.95 to $2.10 for those who pay with cash," DeFebo said.
The "most common" trip is the minimum toll to travel from one exchange to the next.
"The Turnpike Commission is obligated by state law to augment Pennsylvania's infrastructure needs; in fact, the commission has delivered $5.65 billion in toll-backed funding to PennDOT in the last decade," said Pennsylvania Turnpike CEO Mark Compton. "Today, our annual payments of $450 million enable PennDOT to provide operating support to mass-transit authorities across the state to help ease future fare increases for riders."
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The toll increase will apply to all portions of the turnpike system with these exceptions:
-- there will be no 2018 increase for E-ZPass or Toll-By-Plate customers at the Delaware River Bridge westbound cashless tolling point (#359) in Bucks County
-- toll rates at the Keyser Avenue (#122) and Clarks Summit (#131) toll plazas on the Northeastern Extension (I-476) in Lackawanna County will not increase until April 2018 as a part of the planned conversion to cashless tolling (rates will be set closer to the conversion date using a new vehicle-classification system)
-- toll rates at the Findlay Connector (PA Turnpike 576, Allegheny and Washington counties) will not increase until April 2018 as a part of the planned conversion to cashless tolling (rates will be set closer to the conversion date using a new vehicle-classification system).
