Pennsylvania Turnpike raising rates for 14th straight year

HARRISBURG, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission approved a toll increase for 2022, the 14th annual rate hike since 2007.

The 5% increase, which is the lowest increase in six years will start at 12:01 a.m. on Jan. 2, 2022 and will be effective across the entire system except on the Southern Beltway (PA Turnpike 576) west of Pittsburgh for both E-ZPass and toll by plate customers.

The commission said like all previous annual increases since 2009, the measure is required to meet escalating debt-service costs resulting from the PTC’s payments to the state for transit operations.

“This has been a continuation of our annual toll increases because of funding obligations to the commonwealth and transit agencies across Pa., as well as investing in our own system,” Turnpike Commission Spokesperson Carl Defebo said.

This year, however, there is one significant difference: the PTC plans to make its final annual payment of $450 million to the state later this month. Beginning in July 2022, the $400 million in annual transit funding that had been provided by the PTC will be funded by the Commonwealth’s Motor Vehicle Sales and Use Tax.

The PTC also approved the toll-rate schedule for the opening of the Southern Beltway slated for October. Tolls for the Southern Beltway will include the application of the 45% additional charge that is in place on the Turnpike system. However, there will be no January 2022 toll increase for the Southern Beltway.

“Today’s action is the first time in six years that the rate of increase is under 6%,” explained PA Turnpike CEO Mark Compton. “Starting in July 2022, our transit funding requirement to PennDOT under Act 44 of 2007 will be cut to $50 million annually. Finally, we are seeing a light at the end of this very long tunnel. In addition to breathing a huge sigh of relief ourselves, it enables us to begin to offer some relief to customers from those heftier toll increases and refocus on essential improvements to our roadway.”

Some of that money will also be used to help the turnpike.

“The Turnpike Commission continues to invest heavily in our system, you’ll notice a number of reconstruction projects and improvement projects in Southwestern Pa. across the turnpike, Defebo said.

But for some of drivers, the hike in tolls make them go another way.

“I would go to oakmont and different places, and now i actually go further around bc it’s expensive,” Monroeville resident Mochelle Roderick said.

The suggestion from the turnpike is to get an EZ Pass.

“By far we encourage travelers to get EZ Pass and EZ Pass customers can save nearly 60% on certain trips. So it really behooves you to get that,” Defebo said.

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