Turnpike Toll Hikes Roll On
Summary of Study
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) raised tolls on system users again. The financial requirements of Act 44 of 2007 compel the PTC to send money to PennDOT to help fund mass transit and road and bridge projects across the Commonwealth. The result has been a ballooning debt load for the PTC and a shift in traffic composition. This debt is pledged against toll revenues, which have been increased annually since 2009 and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
Read the full policy brief here.
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Findings:
- Since 2009, the average toll per mile has risen for cash and toll-by-plate users (class 1 passenger vehicles only) from 7.9 cents to 26.5 cents in 2021 – an increase of 235%.
- For those using the EZ Pass system, the rise went from 7.9 cents to 13.1 cents (66%).
- The PTC had $2.5 billion in total bonds outstanding with $1.66 billion in mainline bonds (67% of total) in 2007.
- The amount of mainline debt outstanding at the PTC was $14.31 billion as of May 31, 2021 –an increase of over 760% since 2007.
- Total outstanding debt stood at $15.80 billion with mainline debt comprising 90.5%.
- The mainline debt per vehicle has jumped from $35.35 in 2012 to $84.38 in 2021 – a rise of 139%.
- In fiscal 2012, of all vehicles using the turnpike, passenger vehicles comprised 87.11% with commercial vehicles the remaining 12.89%.
- A decade later, that percentage has shifted with passenger vehicles making up 81.20% and commercial the remaining 18.80%.
- No serious consideration was given to reducing costs or improving efficiencies in the way transportation is provided.
- No discussion on reining in expensive mass transit systems or eliminating prevailing wage requirements for state and local road and bridge work has occurred.
- And now, nearly 15 years after the failed attempt to fix transportation funding through Act 44, the Commonwealth faces the same problem: looking for more transportation funding.
Read the full policy brief here.
