Archived Weblog Entry - 01/21/2004: "PA Turnpike Toll Increases Coming"

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01/21/2004 Archived Entry: "PA Turnpike Toll Increases Coming"
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission voted unanimously yesterday to approve toll increases on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, effective August 1, 2004. The date is intended to give commercial operators six months time to build the new rates into their contracts and pricing. Passenger tolls are increasing 1.8¢ per mile from 4.1¢ to 5.9¢ per mile; commercial tolls are increasing an average of 5.3¢ per mile. The increases reflect the rate of inflation since the last increase in 1991, and the Commission projects they will not need another increase before at least 2010.
The increased revenues will double the amount of funds available for capital improvements for the Turnpike system, allowing for much needed bridge and other improvements. It will also provide funding for rebuilding up to 13 miles of roadway each year, compared to just four miles rebuilt yearly under the current budget. (Oh boy, more construction to navigate!) One of the major improvements that will now be funded in my area is the addition of a third lane eastbound and westbound between the Mid-County and Valley Forge interchanges; probably very painful during construction, but much needed.
The Turnpike, engineered in the 1940s to handle 1.3 million vehicles per year, will handle over 180 million vehicles in 2004, including about 24 million heavy commercial vehicles. Click here to read a news release from the Turnpike Commission with more information on the increase.

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Update ... There's talk the toll increases may be reduced or even elminated, with some political games going on in Harrisburg. Might the Turnpike Commission be dismantled and rolled into PennDOT? Only time will tell, but apparently some legislators are unhappy with the Commission's ability to set their own fares arbitrarily. So better stay tuned on this one -- could get interesting!
Posted by Bob Bergey @ 01/23/2004 08:55 PM EST