Credit: PA Internet News Service
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission started the new year once again by jacking up toll prices.
Starting Sunday, the Pennsylvania Turnpike increased tolls for E-ZPass and Toll-By-Plate rates by 5 percent. The rate increase was approved last summer.
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Officials from the Pennsylvania Turnpike said the toll increase for 2022 marks the first one that is less than 6 percent in six years.
“The most-common toll for a passenger vehicle next year will increase from $1.60 to $1.70 for E-ZPass customers and from $3.90 to $4.10 for Toll-By-Plate customers. The most common toll for a Class-5 tractor trailer will increase from $13 to $13.70 for E-ZPass and from $26.60 to $28 for Toll-By-Plate. The cashless toll for a passenger vehicle at the westbound Delaware River Bridge will increase from $6.10 to $6.50 for E-ZPass customers and from $8.20 to $8.70 for those who use Pennsylvania Turnpike Toll-By-Plate,” a statement from the agency said.
E-ZPass users will get the lowest toll rates, Turnpike officials said.
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E-ZPass and Toll-By-Plates rates for passenger and commercial vehicles will round up to the next dime starting in the new year.
The increase in 2022 comes on top of 13 years of previous toll hikes.
Turnpike officials said the 14 years of increases is necessary to keep up with required payments from Turnpike revenues to the state under laws that were designed to pay for transit funding.
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Pennsylvania Act 44 of 2007 required the Turnpike to send $450 million from its coffers to PennDOT from 2009 through 2021.
Starting next July, the Turnpike won’t have to send $400 million to PennDOT, but it is required under Act 89 of 2013 to provide $50 million to PennDOT through 2057.
“Starting in July 2022, our transit funding requirement to PennDOT under Act 44 of 2007 will be cut to $50 million annually. Finally, we are seeing a light at the end of this very long tunnel. In addition to breathing a huge sigh of relief ourselves, it enables us to begin to offer some relief to customers from those heftier toll increases and refocus on essential improvements to our roadway,” Turnpike CEO Mark Compton said in summer.
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“The Act 44 sunsetting spelled out in Act 89 of 2013 is critical if the PTC is to remain fiscally sound as an organization and for the economic vitality of Turnpike-connected communities,” Compton explained. “But it’s important for customers understand that, even with the reduced obligation, we are still looking at annual toll increases of 5 percent from through 2025, 4 percent in 2026, 3.5 percent in 2027, then 3 percent annually from 2028 to 2050.”
Turnpike drivers and the commission have paid $7.45 billion to PennDOT over the past 14 years.
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