Pennsylvania turnpike increases rates by 6 percent

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The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) raised rates Sunday by 6 percent increase for cash, E-ZPass and PA Turnpike TOLL BY PLATE users.

The increase was approved by commissioners in July and applies to all turnpike sections and extensions. The turnpike runs 552 miles.

The increase is needed to meet the turnpike’s legislatively mandated funding obligation to support the state’s public transportation systems, the PTC said. The commission does not receive tax appropriations for operation and maintenance.

“Parts of our roadway are 78 years old, and we owe it to customers, who pay a premium to travel, to invest in our road and make it safer, smoother and wider,” said PTC CEO Mark Compton. “This year about 84 percent of our $552 million capital budget is focused on renewing, rebuilding and widening our highway which carried more than 200 million vehicles last year.”

Current projects include more than 82 roadway miles in the planning and design phases and 11 miles of roadway being rebuilt and widened. More than 140 miles of the turnpike has been rebuilt.

There have been multiple toll increases over the past decade. Since 2009, the PTC has paid the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation more than $6 billion in toll-backed funding.