(TNS) — Christmas just passed but ‘tis the season of giving for folks who travel the Pennsylvania Turnpike often.
And that’s because starting this Sunday at 12:01 a.m. it’s going to cost a little bit more to travel on the turnpike.
How much more?
Well, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission reportedly approved a 5-percent toll increase back in July. That means, per CBS, most E-ZPass holders will see their rate jump from $1.80 to $1.90 while drives who go the toll by plate route will see an increase from $4.40 to $4.70.
The site said that Class-5 tractor-trailer drivers with E-ZPass will see their rate rise from $14.40 to $15.20 while those without the E-ZPass will see their rate rise from $24.90 to $30.90.
While the rates might not seem like a significant increase it can add up to travel on the pike. You can calculate how much a trip from destination to destination will cost by using the Turnpike’s toll calculator.
As pointed out in the Beaver County Times, a trip from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia would cost someone $34.70 using E-ZPass and $70.80 using the toll by plate option.
Drivers can expect the toll raises to keep on coming, too.
Legislators passed Act 44 of 2007 which directed the Turnpike Commission to pay $450 million to PennDOT each year. That cost was dropped to $50 million in 2022. However, the Turnpike Commission took out several large loans to pay the costs, and reportedly now has a debt of $14 billion.
That means that tolls are expected to increase through the year 2053 to pay off the loans.