Toll increases on turnpike are unsustainable

It’s that time yet again. For the 13th consecutive year, the arrival of January brings with it a Pennsylvania Turnpike toll increase. The hike for 2021 takes effect today.

Drivers with E-ZPass are seeing a 6% toll increase. For them, the most common toll for a passenger vehicle has increased from $1.50 to $1.60. Though that small amount adds up quickly for regular turnpike travelers, it’s those who don’t have E-ZPass who are really taking it on the chin when they travel the turnpike. Their rate has gone up 45%. The most common toll for nonEZ Pass customers rose from $2.50 to $3.90.

We’ve raised the issue of turnpike toll increases often over the years because of its impact on everyday Pennsylvanians and the state’s business climate. But the COVID-19 pandemic has added new urgency to the issue.

Concerns about the turnpike’s finances are part of a much larger problem involving Pennsylvania’s transportation spending and quality of infrastructure that goes far beyond the roads under the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission’s jurisdiction.

The turnpike’s seemingly endless series of toll increases came about as a result of a state law that requires it to pay PennDOT $450 million a year to help cover the cost of mass transit. The turnpike had trouble covering those payments this year because the pandemic caused a steep drop in traffic and toll revenue. Ultimately the Turnpike Commission had to borrow $550 million to make its PennDOT payments.

Meanwhile PennDOT itself is having serious financial problems caused by the pandemic. As people cut back on driving, PennDOT saw a sharp decline in gasoline tax revenue and was on the verge of running out of money to pay contractors for road and bridge contracts until state officials stepped in to at least temporarily alleviate the problem through borrowing.

All this means it’s even less likely than it was before that turnpike officials will succeed in getting its payments to PennDOT reduced sooner than scheduled.

Things are looking bleak for the turnpike. Commission officials have said they expect revenue to be more than $200 million below estimates for the 2020 fiscal year, with traffic and revenue not expected to reach pre-pandemic levels again until at least 2024. The higher the tolls, the more difficult it will be to attract traffic to the turnpike. It’s a vicious circle.

The financial problems facing the turnpike, PennDOT and the rest of the state government are interconnected. Comprehensive solutions are needed. Lawmakers and the Wolf administration need to figure out the fairest possible way to continue funding the most vital functions of state government.

We realize there are no easy answers here. Pennsylvania’s gas tax already is one of the nation’s highest, and the growing popularity of electric and hybrid vehicles is making it a less lucrative revenue source even with normal levels of traffic. We do strongly support ceasing the practice of using gas tax revenue to fund state police operations. This would free up more money for maintaining and repairing roads and bridges. But then the state will have to find other sources of revenue to support its law enforcement operation.

The bottom line is that Pennsylvania will need money to fund its essential operations. Any means of accomplishing that — tolls and fees on other roads, higher taxes, billing municipalities for state police coverage, etc. — will be unpopular. The job of our leaders is to figure out the state’s top spending priorities, determine the best way to fund them and then persuade the people that any sacrifices required are necessary.

One thing that’s clear is that it’s fundamentally unfair to keep piling on the burden turnpike motorists face for expenses that have nothing to do with the road they’re using. The state should finally put an end to the misbegotten arrangement that produced this long series of toll hikes. It’s past time to come up with a fairer, sustainable way to fund transportation and other state services that are essential to our economy and well-being.

Toll for a passenger vehicle has increased from $1.50 to $1.60. Those who don’t have E-ZPass, their rate has gone from $2.50 to $3.90.