Increased tolls take effect on the Pennsylvania Turnpike

BEDFORD -- If you plan to take the Pennsylvania Turnpike, you might be digging for some extra change.

That's because the 6 percent toll increase the Turnpike Commission approved last July took effect Sunday.

The turnpike has been increasing tolls annually since 2009, after a financial plan approved in 2007 made the turnpike a funding partner for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

Officials say they need the money because they're essentially building a brand-new highway from the ground up.

Known as "America’s first superhighway,” the Pennsylvania Turnpike is in need of repairs.

"When you talk to a lot of the truck drivers, and over the years you read a lot of stories saying Pennsylvania's always the worst when it comes to our highways and byways,” Milan Moncilovich said. “Even though we were the first turnpike in the country, I guess it's kind of clear that we definitely need some rebuild."

That's why a 6 percent increase in tolls went into effect Sunday.

For passenger vehicles, tolls increase from $1.16 to $1.23 for E-ZPass customers and from $1.80 to $1.95 for cash customers.

For tractor-trailers, the fee increases from $9.59 to $10.17 for E-ZPass customers and from $13.60 to $14.45 for cash customers.

Most drivers 6News spoke to were fine with the increase.

"Most of them will probably be angry a little bit at first, but if it helps to go pay for anything with the roads, it usually turns out to be a little bit better in the long run," Jared Fockler said.

"As long as the money's going toward the road it's being charged for, then I'm OK with it," Daniel Pruett said.

Turnpike Commission spokesman Carl DeFebo said in order to meet financial obligations, tolls have to increase.

"Primarily those obligations include rebuilding and widening the PA Turnpike system,” DeFebo said. Parts of it are 75 years old. Reconstruction and widening from four to six lanes is quite an expensive endeavor."

He said the 550-mile turnpike has outlived its intended design life. And for the last 15 years, they've been rebuilding section by section.

"What's important for our customers to understand, yes, that nobody likes to see a toll increase, but we have committed to putting this money to work," DeFebo said.

DeFebo said it can cost upward of $30 million per mile, in addition to $450 million in funding each year that goes to PennDOT’s more than 70 public transit agencies.

"The challenge here is we are also currently carrying 25,000 cars and trucks a day in some areas, and the challenge is trying to maintain that traffic, while building a brand-new highway system," DeFebo said.

DeFebo said with the toll increase, it's a perfect time to get an E-ZPass, which can save you upward of 35 percent on tolls.

To find where you can purchase an E-ZPass, click here.

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