Illinois Tollway Drivers May See Price Hike
Toll Authority Proposal Nearly Doubles Toll Cost
Get your wallets ready motorists, it may cost you more to drive the Illinois Tollway starting January 1st.
The Illinois Tollway Authority unveiled a $12 billion, 15-year capital improvement plan on Thursday. But this ambitious plan comes with a cost to I-PASS users, nearly doubling the current cost of a toll using an I-PASS unit.
It’s been 28 years since toll rates were last increased to the current 40 cents per toll, most tollbooths charge. The Toll Authority’s plan calls for bumping up the price 35 cents to 75 cents per toll. Of course, drivers paying with cash will pay twice that.
According to Tollway Authority data, the proposed toll increase would translate the average cost per trip for an I-PASS customer from 64 cents to an average of $1.18 per trip.
The Toll Authority’s proposal includes reconstructing and widening I-90 (Jane Addams Memorial Tollway) between O’Hare Airport and Rockford, a new interchange to connect I-294 to I-57 and a new Elgin O’Hare West Bypass so O’Hare can be accessed from the west.
“Communities throughout the region are advocating for new transportation projects with increasing urgency,” said Illinois Tollway Executive Director Kristi Lafleur. “Illinois residents, business owners, planners, elected officials and others understand that new roads can improve quality of life by saving people time and money, creating jobs and stimulating local economies.”
The Tollway Authority is planning a series of public hearings on their plan for the latter half of August to get driver input. Tollway users can get more info on details for the hearings and also leave comments at the Illinois Tollway Authority website.
[...] A few weeks ago, the Illinois Tollway Authority proposedincreasing the cost of tolls by nearly double. [...]
[...] Originally, the plan was to nearly double the price of tolls. [...]
Governor Quinn Exellent Job on raising revenue, sure their will be openings created, for top level positions in the tollway authority, if their needed or not. for myself, thats it for using the tollway system, will use only when very nessasary
Back when the toll road was first put in it was only supposed to be a temporary solution, thats all fine now thats out the window, but to raise the price for people who are already struggling is just plain stupid. Personally I drive 12 1/2 miles to work and school everyday and yes its faster and thats what I and many other busy people need. So now come January 1,2012 I will have to find another way of getting to my destinations. I say look into these people who are incharge of our state, look at their money managment skills, that will tell us the truth, also how about they take a pay cut to help out, i dont see them driving a car that’s 5-10 years old. Way to go sticken it to the little people.