Driving on the Pennsylvania Turnpike is once again going to be more expensive next year.
On Tuesday, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) approved a 5% increase on tolls for 2023.
This will impact both drivers who pay tolls with E-ZPass and Toll-by-Plate. The increase will reflect on the Turnpike tolls at 12:01 a.m. on Jan. 8, 2023.
The upcoming 2023 increase marks the 15th-straight year of rising toll rates.
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“The PTC has been forced to increase tolls annually through the foreseeable future to meets its financial obligations under Act 44 of 2007," PTC CEO Mark Compton said in a news release.
As of July 1, the PTC's yearly requirement to the Commonwealth decreased from $450 million to $50 million in cash proceeds. There are no further bond issues because of PA Act 89 of 2013.
Even with the requirement decrease, toll rates will still be rising.
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"Due to the terms of the Act-44 bonds, the PTC’s debt service will continue to rise even though borrowing has ended, growing to an annual maximum of $600 million by 2038 before it starts to decrease, " the release states.
Revenue projections created by the PTC have projected future toll increases of 5% through 2025, 4% in 2026, 3.5% in 2027 and then a 3% annual increase from 2028 until 2050.
The PTC notes that even with these ongoing annual increases, the per-mile toll rate on the PA Turnpike remains below the midline this year compared with rates of other tolling agencies in the country.
"Because of [Tuesday's] action, the most-common toll for a passenger vehicle next year will increase from $1.70 to $1.80 for E-ZPass customers and from $4.10 to $4.40 for Toll By Plate customers," the commission says.
Drivers using E-ZPass will continue to pay the lowest rates on the Turnpike, which the PTC says are 60% lower than that of Toll-By-Plate rates.
The PTC's Electronic Toll Collection - or E-ZPass - 13.8 cent per mile rate is 20% less than that of the 17.8 cent per mile national average.
If you don't have an E-ZPass, the PTC recommends downloading the PA TOLL PAY mobile app, where drivers who pay by plate receive a savings of 15% on monthly invoices. Drivers can also use this app to find a nearby retailer to pay an invoice in cash.
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