For frequent travelers passing through the Pennsylvania Turnpike, it sounds like the Sunday implementation may sway them to purchase an EZ Pass. The tolls are increasing by 5 percent across the board, resulting in the annual pain faced by drivers who depend on the turnpike to either get to work or travel out or into the state. Why the continued increase? Officials state the increase is needed to to address a transportation funding shortfall in the state. The state receives approximately $450 million from those turnpike tolls for transit projects, under state law, Act 44.
The money is also used to expand highways from four to six lanes, and rebuild areas of the highway that may be damaged.
Pennsylvania has been noted as one of the leading states in the nation with the most collected funds in tolls. Since 2009, the toll rates have increased an astounding 70 percent for cash payers and about 35 percent for EZ Pass users. Using the toll mileage calculator on the PA Turnpike website, we entered Pittsburg as a starting point to enter the turnpike with an exiting interchange at the Gateway (Ohio Connection), we selected a passenger vehicle with 2 axles and the toll calculated to: $4.20 for 55 miles of traffic. EZ Pass users saved $1.30 for a toll amount of $2.90.
While $4.20 may not seem like a lot, for frequent travelers it can amount to more than $20 weekly and more than $1,000 in a year. For a heavy duty pick-up truck, if the driver left from the Ohio Connection and wanted to enjoy a weekend in Pocono, they would be looking closer to $70.80 for the 407 mile trip.
The turnpike was commissioned back in 1940, and from that time to 2004, drivers enjoyed a very slow increase - the tolls pricetag only increased five times during the 64-year period.
Then in 2007 a state law was passed under Act 44 that required the turnpike commission to turnover $450 million per year to the state to apply towards roads, transit expansions and bridges.
Are you a frequent traveler on the PA turnpike? Be sure to let us know what you think about the recent increase in the comments, and if PA is wisely using the annual funds it receives from the commission.
