(The Center Square) – Illinois tollway users will be paying more next year, and a state representative warned that there could be traffic implications.
The Illinois Tollway Board held its monthly meeting on Wednesday and voted unanimously in favor of a plan to raise tolls by 45 cents per toll for most passenger vehicles and 30% for commercial vehicles.
Illinois Tollway Executive Director Cassaundra Rouse argued in favor of the higher tolls.
“Approval is requested and authorization to take any and all actions necessary to implement the proposed toll rate increases,” Rouse said.
The board’s power to raise tolls came from the $1.5 billion transit funding package signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker last December.
“Toll revenue also funds our annual maintenance and operation expenses, as well as annual debt service costs for the bonds issued during the program and during the prior programs,” Rouse said.
Senate Bill 2111 also included a 0.25% sales tax increase for six Chicago-area counties.
Illinois Tollway Chief of Planning Karyn Robles explained details of the 15-year capital plan behind the toll increases and the improvements she said would happen on each individual tollway.
“Every corridor in our system contributes to the success of the region and will benefit from the $26.5 billion Driving Connections capital program,” Robles said.
The toll increases are set to take effect Jan. 1.
State Rep. Steven Reick, R-Woodstock, said there will be more trucks taking back roads in McHenry County to avoid the tolls on Interstate 90.
“You’re going to see them taking alternate routes to get to where they need to go, and it’s going to have an increase in local traffic and all the problems that go along with that,” Reick said.
The American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois issued a statement shortly after the board voted.
“We applaud the visionary approach of the Tollway’s leadership and board and thank Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois General Assembly who made this investment possible,” ACEC President and CEO Kevin Artl said.
Americans for Prosperity Illinois Deputy State Director Brian Costin said the governor sits on the tollway board and appoints its other directors.
“This should have been an easy decision: reject the hike and follow Section 19 of the Illinois Toll Highway Act, which requires tolls to be set at rates calculated to provide the lowest reasonable toll rates sufficient to meet the tollway’s legitimate costs,” Costin said in a statement.
Pritzker was asked about the toll increases when he spoke at the Illinois State Fair on Wednesday.
“Let’s be clear. We want to make sure that our roads are pothole-free, that we’re making sure to build more so we can build our economy across the state of Illinois,” Pritzker said.
Illinois’ roads and bridges ranked 37th in Reason Foundation’s annual highway report released in March.
When The Center Square asked the governor in June about the proposed toll increases, Pritzker said many of the trucks and cars traveling on the tollways are from out of state.
“So they’re actually not Illinois companies and not Illinois individuals,” Pritzker said.
A passenger car driver who pays two I-PASS tolls each way to work five days a week for 50 weeks will pay an extra $450 per year in tolls.
