Today has not been a good day. I just found out that my main source of commuting is being basically all messed up for 4 years. That being said, I hate route 28. On top of that mess, I found out that in order to get to Route 28 and it’s garbage, I have to pay increased tolls on the turnpike.
All in all, it’s a crappy day to be a commuter in some areas of Pennsylvania. It just so happens, that the toll road increases will be the costliest in the nation. Didn’t we lease the naming rights to the Pennsylvania Turnpike to reduce this cost? This is just unbelievable. Other states have cheaper tolls and can keep their roads in much better condition than ours.
It’s embarrassing, and it’s caused me to write a letter to our government. Not like any of that matters, but I’m upset, and I just don’t want to take it anymore.
Anyways, here’s the news on the situation that has me fuming:
The turnpike commission on Wednesday approved a 3 percent increase for users of E-ZPass electronic fare collection and 10 percent for cash customers, effective Jan. 2.
That will raise the cash cost of driving the turnpike to 8.5 cents per mile, highest of the 11 U.S. toll roads of 100 miles or longer. Currently, the Pennsylvania and New Jersey turnpikes are tied at 7.7 cents per mile.
Get E-ZPassE-ZPass is available online at www.paturnpike.com or by calling 1-877-Penn-Pass (1-877-736-6727). Some Pennsylvania retailers offer E-ZPass sign-ups at their customer service desks, including Giant Eagle and GetGo. Many of the state’s AAA offices offer transponder sales, and there are E-ZPass vending machines called Tag Tellers at select turnpike travel plazas.
Shorter toll facilities, including highway spurs and bridges, typically have higher per-mile costs. A March survey by the Pennsylvania Turnpike found 10 facilities with per-mile rates of 27.8 cents or more, including a 6-mile highway in California whose users pay 45.8 cents per mile.
The Pennsylvania Turnpike has ascended to the top among longer toll roads largely because of a 2007 state law requiring it to help fund non-turnpike transportation programs. Since then, the turnpike has given the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation $2.5 billion to pay for highway and bridge work and mass transit.
That amount is the equivalent of more than three years’ worth of turnpike toll income. The turnpike took in $700 million last year.
The Jan. 2 toll increase will mean that travel from Pittsburgh to Breezewood will cost $9.25 in cash or $8.65 with E-ZPass, up from the current $8.40. Travel from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia will rise from the current $23.20 to $25.55 in cash or $23.90 with E-ZPass.
The increase also will affect tolls on other turnpike-owned highways, including Toll 66, the Mon-Fayette Expressway and a section of the Beaver Valley Expressway. Tolls will not increase on the Findlay Connector near Pittsburgh International Airport.
Turnpike spokesman Carl DeFebo said that aside from the commission’s obligations to PennDOT, factors fueling the rising tolls are the highway’s age and an extensive capital improvement program that by next year will have widened and resurfaced or rebuilt the turnpike from the Ohio line to the Allegheny Tunnels.
The state’s “challenging geography” and weather also contribute to higher construction and maintenance costs, he said.
That last statement is absolutely garbage. So what about West Virginia and it’s “challenging geography?” It has just as many hills as we do and it’s not twice as bad. It’s all a cop out, and it’s frustrating as all hell.
July 19th, 2010 at 5:40 PM
found your site on del.icio.us today and really liked it.. i bookmarked it and will be back to check it out some more later
July 31st, 2010 at 1:29 AM
Thank you for taking the chance to deliver this idea. I’m happy I discovered your website on this subject. I’m doing analysis on this topic right now and this was great. Keep up the good work.