Illinois Wants To Raise Tollway Rates For The First Time In Years

Do the folks who decide on increasing tolls actually use the tollway in Illinois?

I just don't get it. My family is on toll roads quite a bit, and for the life of me, I can't understand why we pay to use them. Iowa doesn't have any, and neither does Wisconsin. Never been a fan, and don't get me started on how often toll roads are under construction.

READ MORE: 5 Illinois Roads Make List Of “America's 100 Deadliest Highways”

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The Breakdown of the Proposed 2027 Illinois Tollway Rate Hike

While the news reports it's the first rate hike in more than a decade, it honestly doesn't feel that way. Before we start paying more, tollway directors are holding public hearings for those of us who have beef with the potential increase.

Here's what we're looking at:

• A 45-cent increase for passenger vehicles starting in 2027
• Commercial vehicles will see their toll rates rise by 30%

You know by now how that shakes out to us, right? That 30% increase will be passed on to the customer. Those commercial vehicles will need to recoup their costs, so I'm sure we'll be paying for that in the long run.

READ MORE: Ready To Pay More? Illinois' Gas Tax Goes Up Again on July 1st

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Have Your Say: Public Hearings and the Final August Vote

If you want to be part of the hearings to let the Illinois Tollway directors know we don't need more toll increases, here are the dates.

A final vote on whether the newly proposed rate increase will go into effect is expected in August.