PA Turnpike Tolls Set To Rise Yet Again

PENNSYLVANIA — There's more than just singing "Auld Lange Syne" as an old year ends and another begins in Pennsylvania. There's also the prospect of facing another Pennsylvania Turnpike toll increase.

A 5-percent increase for 2023 goes into effect Jan. 8 for all E-ZPass and toll-by-plate customers. The most common toll for a passenger vehicle next year will increase from $1.70 to $1.80 for E-ZPass motorists and $4.10 to $4.40 for toll-by-plate ones, according to the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission.

The most-common toll for a Class-5 tractor trailer will increase from $13.70 to $14.40 for E-ZPass and from $28 to $29.40 for toll by plate.

The upcoming increase marks the 15th consecutive year tolls on the road have risen.

The turnpike commission blames the perpetual increases on 2007 state legislation that forced it to provide $900 million initially - and $400 million more recently - every year to PennDOT for road and bridge maintenance.

That amount dropped to $50 million annually, so turnpike tolls shouldn't be spiking further, right?

Wrong.

Because the turnpike commission borrowed to pay for the $8 billion it has provided to PennDOT since 2007, turnpike tolls will continue to rise as the commission attempts to retire its debt.

How much? Based on current traffic and revenue projections, the turnpike commission plans to increase tolls by 5 percent annually through 2025, 4 percent in 2026, 3.5 percent in 2027 and then 3 percent annually from 2028 to 2050.

So nearly three decades of toll increases await for turnpike travelers.