Illinois Tollway board to vote on rate hike to fund $26.5 billion capital improvement plan

The Illinois State Toll Highway Authority Board was set to vote on Wednesday on a major increase in tolls to help fund future maintenance and repairs.

If approved, starting in January, drivers of passenger vehicles would pay an average of 45 cents more per toll, and drivers of commercial vehicles would pay 30% more per toll.

The tollway board also wants automatic inflation-based increases every two years starting in 2029.

Currently, tolls run as low as 30 cents and as high as $1.50 at various toll plazas.

The toll hike would support a 15-year, $26.5 billion improvement plan to repair bridges and install new technology along Illinois tollways.

Tollway officials first announced the proposed toll hike in June, and since then, the board has held a series of public meetings to gather public input before the vote.

The last time tolls went up in Illinois was in 2012.