Turnpike Toll Hikes Still in Place, Though Less Now as Employees Are Dropped
With the cost of employees down, the Pennsylvania Turnpike is on track to meet its projection to reduce the annual toll increase from its current 6 percent to 5 percent starting in January, writes Ed Blazina for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Last spring, the turnpike laid off over 500 toll collection agents and office personnel more than a year ahead of schedule when it switched to all-electronic tolling. This process was sped up due to the pandemic.
As a result of a reduction in employees and additional cost savings that include refinancing of $600 million worth of bonds from variable rates to a fixed rate, the agency is now able to vote in July to bring the toll hike down by one percent.
“I don’t believe it’s going to have to be 6% this year,” said Pennsylvania Turnpike CEO Mark Compton.
Before the start of the pandemic, the turnpike had projected it could start reducing the toll hike from 6 percent in 2022 to 3 percent by 2028. The 3 percent annual increase will most likely continue through 2050.
The Turnpike is also increasing spending by almost $200 million on road improvements beginning June 1 as commercial traffic returns to pre-pandemic levels.
A project will resume to widen the turnpike to at least three lanes in each direction and upgrade all 550 miles of the toll road across the state. Some of the roadway is original construction from the 1940s.
Read more about the Pennsylvania Turnpike in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
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