Toll road rates to increase in coming year
HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission is reminding customers that fares are set to go up on most of the state’s toll roads, including the Mon/Fayette Expressway, by 10 percent on Jan. 1, 2012, for cash-paying travelers only.
Because electronic-toll rates will not go up, E-ZPass customers will pay about 17 percent less than cash customers, on average, starting next year. E-ZPass users currently pay 7 percent less, on average, than cash customers on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, the commission said.
With the new rates that will take effect at 12:01 a.m., the most-common cash toll for passenger vehicles will increase from $1.10 to $1.25, while the most-common cash toll for a standard commercial-truck classification (Class 5) will rise from $8.95 to $9.85. (The 2012 fares were determined by applying a 10 percent increase on top of the 2011 fare then rounding up to the nearest nickel.) The increase will be applied to all vehicle classes on all turnpike sections except the Southern Beltway (Turnpike 576) in Allegheny and Washington counties, where rates will be unchanged.
Turnpike Chairman William K. Lieberman of Pittsburgh said by not raising E-ZPass rates, the agency is easing the economic impact of a toll increase.
“Since nearly two-thirds of travelers already use E-ZPass, only about a third of our customers will be affected,” he explained. “For anyone without E-ZPass, I recommend you sign up soon if you want to have that transponder in hand before the end of the year.”
To get an E-ZPass account, customers can enroll online at www.paturnpike.com or by calling 1-877-Penn-Pass (1-877-736-6727). Customers also can open an E-ZPass account at many of the state’s AAA offices and at certain regional grocery stores including Acme, Giant Eagle, Get-Go and Karns. For a complete list of retail locations, visit online www.paturnpike.com/ezpass/sales.