Travelling on the Pennsylvania Turnpike will soon be more expensive.
A six-percent toll increase was approved on Tuesday by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC).
The hike will go into effect for both E-ZPass and cash customers on Jan. 8, 2017, at 12:01 a.m.
PTC Chairman Sean Logan said the increase was necessary to continue rebuilding efforts and to provide funding for public transportation in the state.
“Last fall, the PA Turnpike observed our 75th anniversary; while that is a great accolade, it means that parts of our system have outlived their design life and are in dire need of replacement,” Logan said. “Revenues from this increase will fund a newly approved, 10-year spending plan which invests more than $5.77 billion in our system in the coming decade — a large part of which will support ongoing total reconstruction and widening projects.”
Turnpike officials are focusing on controlling operating costs that would reduce the need for future increases.
“While we will continue to mitigate toll increases through boosted efficiencies, we have no option but to increase tolls annually moving ahead,” CEO Mark Compton said. “Right now, traffic and revenue predictions estimate increases of up to six percent per year will be necessary until 2044.”
Tolls will not increase outside Philadelphia on the Delaware River Bridge.