Buckle Up, Illinois: You May Be In For A Pricey Toll Hike In 2027

Happy holidays, merry Christmas, yippee skippy.

The Land of Lincoln (also the Land of Terrible Drivers) is considering a toll hike for passenger (and commercial) vehicles. It would be their first toll hike on passenger cars since 2012.

It's proposed by the Illinois Tollway and is aimed at funding a $26.5 billion project over the next 15 years.

So here's what the new toll would be:

For passenger cars, the toll rate would go up 45-cents per toll for I-Pass users. For commercial vehicles, the toll would go up about 30% (for an average of $0.90). So, according to the Tollway, for the active I-Pass user passenger car, the average cost would go from $0.07/mile to $0.11/mile, which the Tollway says is still cheaper than the national average of $0.16.

The new tolls would go into effect on January 1, 2027.

And Why, Exactly?

The toll increase is intended to help fund a project called 'Driving Connections', which includes 'roadway improvement', bridge projects, and 'congestion relief efforts' through 2042. The Tollway says they don't get federal funds to help with these projects and they are entirely funded by the tolls.

But the toll increase isn't the only part of the proposal. It also suggests 'inflation-based toll adjustments' every other year, starting in 2029.

If you hate the idea and have a better one, you'll have the chance to pop off about it. The Illinois Tollway is planning to hold 13 public meetings across the 12 counties that the Tollway serves. Online comments about the proposal can be submitted to the Tollway until August 3rd.