A proposed $26.5 billion plan from the Illinois Tollway would make system improvements over the next 15 years, using toll rate increases to fund it.
The Illinois Tollway Board is proposing toll rate increases for both passenger and commercial vehicles, which would become effective Jan. 1, 2027.
The increase would be the first toll increase since 2012 for passenger vehicles.
The long-term capital program, dubbed Driving Connections, includes projects aimed at improving traffic as well as widespread maintenance and other improvement projects.
The Illinois Tollway is a user-funded system that receives no state or federal tax dollars for maintenance and operations and is entirely funded by tolls.
Proposed toll increases
Passenger toll rates would increase by around 45 cents per toll for I-PASS users. Commercial vehicles would see an approximate 30% increase in toll rates for I-PASS users.
That could mean an extra $200 per year in tolls for drivers who commute daily.
Toll rates would be additionally adjusted every other year to account for inflation based on the Consumer Price Index.
What’s next?
Details of the proposed toll rate increase and capital program will be presented at a series of public hearings in the 12 counties served by the tollway.
The tollway will receive public comments until Aug. 3 at noon.
How do rate increases work?
Gov. JB Pritzker signed Senate Bill 2111 into law last December that is expected to raise about $1.5 billion for public transit (separate from the tollway) each year. The bill also allows tollway officials to increase toll rates.
Pritzker has publicly defended the plan to increase the toll rates.
“I think they’re trying to be as responsible as we are,” he said at an unrelated event this week. “They are trying to be responsible with their budget, make sure they balance their budget. They maintain the infrastructure that we so badly need in order to attract companies like this to the state of Illinois,” Pritzker added.
The infrastructure projects
Here are program highlights, according to a news release from the Illinois Tollway.
Tom Ackerman covers breaking news and trending news along with general news for the Springfield State Journal-Register. He can be reached at tackerman@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Illinois drivers could pay more for tolls under new proposal
Reporting by Tom Ackerman, Springfield State Journal-Register / State Journal-Register
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By Tom Ackerman, Springfield State Journal-Register | USA TODAY Network
