Illinois Drivers Face Nearly $500 More a Year Under New Toll Hikes

By Illinois Review

Illinois drivers already struggling with the rising cost of living will soon have another expense to absorb after the Illinois Tollway Board unanimously approved its first passenger toll increase in nearly 15 years.

The board voted 8-0 Wednesday to approve the increases, which take effect Jan. 1, 2027.

Passenger vehicles will pay approximately 45 cents more per toll – an increase of roughly 57 percent – while commercial vehicle rates will jump 30 percent.

For commuters who rely on the tollway every day, those seemingly small increases will add up quickly.

A driver passing through two tolls per workday will pay approximately $225 more per year. A commuter encountering multiple tolls in each direction could easily see the additional annual cost climb into the hundreds of dollars.

And the financial impact could extend beyond individual commuters. The 30 percent increase imposed on commercial trucks will raise transportation costs for businesses moving goods throughout northern Illinois – costs that could ultimately be passed along to consumers through higher prices.

The increases will help finance the Tollway’s new 15-year, $26.5 billion “Driving Connections” capital program, which includes road and bridge reconstruction, congestion-relief projects and technology upgrades. Tollway officials argue the additional revenue is necessary to maintain and modernize the system.

But the initial hike is only the beginning.

Starting in 2029, toll rates will automatically adjust every two years based on inflation, using the Consumer Price Index. State law caps the inflation escalator at 4 percent annually.

The Tollway is governed by a board that includes Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois transportation secretary, while its nine other directors are appointed by the governor with Senate approval.

For Illinois families already paying more for housing, groceries, utilities and transportation, the vote means one thing: getting to work and moving goods around the state is about to get more expensive.