Pennsylvania Turnpike to increase toll by 5% for 2023

PENNSYLVANIA — The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission announced Tuesday that it has approved a 5% toll increase for 2023.

The increase will be in effect for all E-ZPass and Toll By Plate customers.

According to a release from the Pennsylvania Turnpike, the increase will change the most-common toll for a car for E-ZPass customers’ rates from $1.70 to $1.80. Toll By Plate rates will increase from $4.10 to $4.40 for the most common toll.

The release also said that the most common toll for a Class-5 tractor trailer will increase from $13.70 to $14.40 for E-ZPass customers and from $28 to $29.40 for Toll By Plate customers.

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Once the increase is applied, both rates for passenger and commercial vehicles will round up to the next dime, according to the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission.

“The PTC has been forced to increase tolls annually through the foreseeable future to meets its financial obligations under Act 44 of 2007, said PTC CEO Mark Compton. “It’s worth noting that, even with these ongoing annual increases, our per-mile toll rate continues to be below the midline compared with rates of other U.S. tolling agencies.”

Act 44 of 2007 required the Pennsylvania Turnpike to transfer between $900 and (more recently) $450 million annually to the Commonwealth to support transportation projects statewide, the release said.

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In the 15 years since Act 44 of 2007, the Pennsylvania Turnpike has transferred nearly $8 billion in funding to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation — the vast majority of which was in the form of borrowing (issuance of bond debt) that must be repaid by the PTC over a 30-year period, the release continued.

“As an organization, I am proud of the fact that we work hard to manage the debt placed upon us by making prudent borrowing decisions and restricting operating-budget growth,” Compton said. “While we are now essentially free from this onerous Act-44 commitment, we must continue to honor the debt-service obligations for 30 years. But a measure of relief is under way, and motorists can expect the level of increases to ease in a few years.”

Based on current traffic and revenue projections, the PTC’s plan calls for future toll increases of 5% through 2025, 4% in 2026, 3.5% in 2027, then 3% annually from 2028 to 2050, according to the release.

The 2023 toll increase will take effect on Jan. 8, 2023, at 12:01 a.m.

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