Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission officials announced Thursday that the Turnpike will supply $1.3 billion in new funding in the next year and a half, thanks to a 25-percent toll increase
resulting from Act 44 of 2007.

Most Pennsylvania Turnpike tolls will increase by 25 percent effective Jan. 4, 2009 - a year earlier than anticipated before the enactment of Act 44. A full toll schedule is available at www.paturnpike.com.

As a result of the toll increase - only the sixth rate change in more than 68 years - projected annual gross toll revenue will increase from $619.2 million (2008 fiscal year end) to approximately $738.4 million (projected 2010 fiscal year end). The previous increase in August 2004 was earmarked to rebuild and widen the original Turnpike. From that, the Turnpike invested $1.2 billion in four years, reconstructing 32 miles of toll road, resurfacing 173 miles and replacing 85 bridges.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association responded to the announcement by calling for the repeal of Act 44.

"The Turnpike Commission must change their ways and reform their spending habits, no doubt about it. However, Act 44 is the main culprit in this situation," said Mike Joyce, OOIDA's director of legislative affairs. "Act 44 was a dreadful piece of legislation. It effectively forces the Turnpike Authority into substantially increasing tolls."

Joyce continued, "Truckers move the vast majority of our nation's goods and commerce. The last thing we need to do in the middle of a recession is weigh them down with significantly increased tolls."

The new rates will become effective at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 4. Tolls will increase across the entire system with two exceptions: Tolls on the newest sections (Findlay Connector/PA-576 and Mon-Fayette Expressway/Turnpike 43 Uniontown to Brownsville section) will remain at their current rates that were set in anticipation of the increase.

Starting in January 2010, tolls will go up incrementally by about 3 percent each year.