Quinn Signals Support Of Tollway Price Bump
A few weeks ago, the Illinois Tollway Authority proposedincreasing the cost of tolls by nearly double.
According to WBEZ Radio (91.5 FM), Governor Pat Quinn has not shown his hand on his feelings on the price increase, until Friday.
The radio station reports Quinn made it pretty darn clear he’s behind most tolls paid using I-PASS, would go from 40 cents to 75 cents in most cases.
“I think it’s important to understand that the Chicago Tribune, in 1983, cost 25 cents. It costs a buck today,” said Quinn. “So there are higher costs to maintain our roads and tollways, and we have to deal with reality here.”
Quinn is right. Cost for most everything has gone up in the last 28 years since the last toll increase.
But does the Tollway Authority have to hit drivers with it all at once smack in the middle of a down economy? Couldn’t they have eased motorists into it over the almost three decades? Maybe a nickel jump every five years?
Now motorists are facing an 87% increase at each toll.
Seems like pretty poor planning to us or some of these toll booth operators are slipping a lot of change into their pockets.
Drivers can weigh in on the toll price increases at a series of public hearings. Go to the Tollway Authority’s website for the dates, places and times.
Here’s WBEZ’s full story, “Gov. Quinn says toll hikes necessary for road projects.”
There is no place in this state that cannot be gotten to free without a little re-route. May take a few minutes longer, but it is FREE!!!
True that rinzler. I myself typically take skokie hwy instead of the tristate when going north. But you also have to keep in mind if you end up using more gas to avoid the tolls it might not be worth it.
Quinn supporting yet another state revenue grab? Shocking!
KevinG, I would much rather give my money to the oil companies than to the government.
Someone should ask the governor where all the gas tax money is going? That’s what should be used to maintain the roads. Tolls just add congestion and pollution. Not to mention that forcing you to use ipass is just another way to tracking the citizens movements. If they really need the money to fix the roads they should get rid of the tolls and raise the gas tax a few pennies. They should also make sure all of the gas tax goes to maintaining the roads.
JonS…that is madness.