PA Turnpike To Raise Tolls By 5 Percent Again In 2023

HARRISBURG, PA — In a continued attempt to recoup millions lost during the pandemic and from failed toll-by-plate efforts, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission will increase tolls by 5 percent in 2023, they decided Tuesday.

It's the same percent increase the Turnpike put into place heading into 2022, and officials say the increase will continue in coming years. 2023's toll for passenger customers will increase from $1.70 to $1.80 for E-ZPass holders, and from $4.10 to $4.40 for toll-by-plate drivers.

“The PTC has been forced to increase tolls annually through the foreseeable future to meets its financial obligations under Act 44 of 2007," Turnpike Commission CEO Mark Compton said in a statement. “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.”

Class-5 tractor trailer tolls will go from $13.70 to $14.40 for E-ZPass and from $28 to $29.40 for toll-by-plate.

The latest increase comes after the Turnpike lost $104 million in uncollected tolls from June 2020 to May 2021, officials said. Millions of motorists without E-ZPass never paid tolls through the state's license plate camera system — a gap that was only made public after The Associated Press filed a Right to Know request and obtained an internal Turnpike report in Sept. 2021.

Related: After $104M Loss, New Bill Seeks To Hold PA Turnpike Accountable

There appear to be various reasons for the loss, an internal memo from the Turnpike obtained by AP indicates. In 1.8 million riders, the camera could not identify the license plate. Issues with bill delivery affected more than 2.5 million more motorists. And some 6.7 million individuals just never paid, the report finds.

Legislation has been introduced to prevent such a loss from occurring again in the future.

E-Z Pass tolling rates in Pennsylvania rank 24th most expensive out of 47 state agenices in the nation.

The new rates will take into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Jan. 8, 2023.