Pennsylvania Turnpike drivers will pay more beginning Jan. 3, 2027, as a 3.5% toll increase takes effect across the system, marking the 19th consecutive year of higher tolls.
The increase comes as the Turnpike prepares to introduce Open Road Tolling to its western section, including interchanges used by Franklin County motorists.
Higher tolls, changes for local drivers
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission approved the increase in July. It is the smallest annual toll adjustment since 2014. For motorists using Toll By Plate, the per-mile rate will increase from 14.6 cents to 15 cents, while the charge at each tolling gantry will rise from $2.26 to $2.34.
Currently, the most common passenger vehicle trip costs $1.94 with E-ZPass and $3.88 through Toll By Plate. Updated 2027 rates for that trip have not yet been released.
Approximately 85% of Turnpike trips are paid through E-ZPass, which generally costs about half as much as Toll By Plate.
In January, the Turnpike also plans to expand Open Road Tolling to its western section, affecting the Blue Mountain, Willow Hill, Fort Littleton and Breezewood interchanges.
The system eliminates the need to stop or slow down at traditional toll booths. Instead, overhead equipment reads E-ZPass transponders or photographs license plates to collect tolls electronically.
The commission expects all mainline toll booths to be removed by the end of 2028.
Why tolls continue to rise
Annual increases began following the passage of Act 44 in 2007, which required the Turnpike Commission to help fund transportation projects throughout Pennsylvania.
To meet those obligations, the commission borrowed billions of dollars, creating debt that continues to influence toll rates.
Annual increases reached 6% from 2019 through 2021, followed by 5% from 2022 through 2025 and 4% in 2026.
The commission projects additional increases of 3% annually from 2028 through 2050.
The original promise of a toll-free Turnpike
When Pennsylvania established the Turnpike Commission in 1937, state law called for the highway to become toll-free once its construction bonds and interest were paid.
The original 160-mile highway opened in October 1940, connecting Irwin, near Pittsburgh, with Middlesex, near Carlisle.
The route included tunnels originally excavated for the unfinished South Pennsylvania Railroad, including the Blue Mountain, Kittatinny and Tuscarora tunnels.
However, the Turnpike continued expanding, with new construction financed through additional borrowing. Later transportation funding requirements added to the commission’s financial obligations.
The provision calling for the Turnpike to become toll-free once its debts are paid remains in Pennsylvania law.
Following approval of the 2027 increase, state Rep. Jeremy Shaffer, R-Allegheny, criticized the continued toll hikes, pointing to the original promise that motorists would eventually travel the highway without paying tolls.
The Turnpike Commission maintains that its E-ZPass passenger vehicle rates remain below the national average for comparable toll roads.
For Franklin County drivers, 2027 will bring both higher travel costs and a new way to pay.
Motorists can calculate estimated tolls at paturnpike.com.
