Transit diversions? No hearings? Tri-State hate? Tollway answers questions as rate hike looms

Illinois tollway directors could vote as soon as Wednesday on whether to raise rates by nearly 60% in 2027 and impose inflation-related hikes every two years beginning in 2029.

The proposed increase is part of the tollway’s 15-year, $26.5 billion Driving Connections capital program, which officials say will reduce congestion, improve mobility and create jobs.

It’s also a significant smack in the wallet, some I-PASS customers noted at recent hearings.

Beyond tolls, questions about the board’s independence, interminable Tri-State reconstruction and where the new revenues will go also cropped up.

“I don’t even know why we’re here. You’re taking our treasure, and it’s already baked in,” suburbanite Fran Shaw testified at a July forum in Aurora.

Here’s a closer look at driver concerns and tollway responses.

Will hearings continue?

If approved, I-PASS passenger vehicle tolls would spike from on average 7 cents per mile to 11 cents, or 57% more, and truckers would see a 30% jump next year. The biennial increases would be tied to the Consumer Price Index.

Illinois law now requires holding public hearings about potential rate hikes across 12 counties. Asked if those would occur if the board approves indexing, officials answered in the negative.

“The proposal would authorize inflation-based adjustments every two years beginning in 2029, so additional board approval or public hearings would not be required,” spokesperson Joelle McGinnis said. “The adjustments would be capped at 8% every two years.”

Fund diversions?

Several people at forums have speculated that new toll revenues would be shifted to public transit agencies in the region.

That’s incorrect, McGinnis said. “Toll revenues remain with the tollway and cannot be diverted to transit or other outside agencies. Driving Connections will fund improvements to the Illinois tollway system.”

The confusion may stem from a transit reform law passed in the waning hours of the 2025 Illinois General Assembly fall session. The Northern Illinois Transit Authority Act also provided a financial lifeline for the CTA, Metra and Pace by shifting a chunk of the state gas sales tax used for road construction to the three agencies.

The final bill included a provision allowing the tollway to raise rates to fund its new capital plan. The strategy earned buy-in from labor unions, who originally opposed moving road fund dollars to transit.

The tollway clarified after the bill’s passage that raising tolls fell under its purview.

Who’s in the driver’s seat?

Given that the tollway board is appointed by Gov. JB Pritzker, who signed and supports the NITA Act, and that several directors are labor union leaders — can they vote independently on the rate hike? We asked the tollway.

“Yes. Each member of the tollway board votes independently on matters before the board and is responsible for considering what is in the best interest of the tollway system and the customers and communities it serves,” McGinnis responded.

When will Tri-State work end?

The widening and rebuild of the Central Tri-State Tollway began in 2018 and was originally estimated to finish in 2025. The end date is two years off, and some motorists at hearings were steamed at delays.

The project involves “reconstruction of 22 miles of one of the busiest sections of the tollway, carrying more than 300,000 vehicles a day,” McGinnis said. “The work has been staged to keep the corridor operating throughout construction rather than shutting it down. Major sections have already been completed.”

Fuzzy programming?

Finally, some I-PASS customers were skeptical of what they called a nebulous $5.57 billion allocation in the capital plan for “programwide” improvements.

That “represents the ongoing rehabilitation and replacement needs of a system that supports hundreds of millions of cars and trucks each year,” McGinnis said.

“Across nearly 300 miles and 12 counties, roadway infrastructure, traffic management, tolling and other critical systems must be maintained and replaced over time. These investments allow the tollway to anticipate needs, address them proactively and keep the system safe and reliable.”

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mpyke@dailyherald.com