Politics
Illinois Tollway Board OKs 45-Cent Toll Increase as Part of $26.5 Billion Capital Projects Plan
Cars pass under an Illinois tollway sign on March 1, 2026. (KKStock / iStock)
The Illinois Tollway Board on Wednesday approved a massive 15-year, $26.5 billion capital spending plan that will raise vehicle tolls beginning next year.
The board voted 8-0 to approve its new capital program, called the Driving Connections Plan, on Wednesday. That plan will raise passenger vehicle tolls by 45 cents per toll beginning Jan. 1, 2027. The added revenue would fund development on seven interstates, including the Jane Addams Memorial and Veterans Memorial tollways.
“As we move forward, our responsibility is to balance today’s needs with tomorrow’s obligations,” Illinois Tollway Executive Director Cassaundra Rouse said. “To protect the system, we have to invest wisely in the system we need to ensure the Illinois tollway continues to serve customers, communities and the regional economy for decades to come.”
Tolls on commercial vehicles will also increase by 30% as part of the new plan.
The board said its capital program is designed to help alleviate traffic to reduce driving time, improve aging roadway infrastructure and fuel economic development. Public speakers at Wednesday’s meeting were largely in favor of the new spending plan.
Tollway officials said the Jane Addams Memorial, also known as Interstate 90 — which they called a “critical connector” between Chicago, its northwest suburbs and the Rockford area — will receive $2.6 billion in planned investments under the new capital plan.
But some critics have argued the board is moving too quickly and giving the public little time to weigh in.
The board held in-person public hearings on the proposal from July 13-24 in each county where the tollway operates and accepted online public comments through Aug. 3. Rouse said more than 1,110 people attended those meetings and thousands more participated online.
While the comments received during the public hearings were largely in favor of the Driving Connections Plan, Tollway officials said those who submitted comments online were overwhelmingly opposed to the program, citing concerns over cost of living and automatic toll increases.
“We heard support, we heard concerns and we heard important questions about affordability, about accountability, congestion and our responsibility to maintain the system we already have,” Rouse said Wednesday. “But that is exactly what this process was intended to do.”
The Springfield-based American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois lauded the new capital plan, calling it a “visionary approach” by Tollway leadership.
“Driving Connections represents the kind of responsible, long-term planning Illinois needs and our member firms look forward to continuing our partnership with the Tollway to deliver a safer, stronger and more resilient transportation system,” the council’s President and CEO Kevin Artl said in a statement.
Under the proposal, toll rates would also be adjusted for inflation every two years, meaning motorists could be paying more than the initial spike by 2029.
The Illinois Tollway says motorists would ultimately save money under the Driving Connections plan despite the toll hike, claiming motorists would save about $725 a year in vehicle repair and fuel costs by improving road conditions and reducing congestion.
They also estimate that the average Chicago driver spends about 100 hours in traffic on the tollway each year, amounting to $1,800 in lost time.
Board members said that even with the toll increases, Illinois will remain in the “lower echelon” compared to other tollway systems.
The Tollway’s Chief Financial Officer Cathy Williams said net revenues will cover approximately $20.6 billion of the capital program, while the remainder will be funded by bond proceeds.
She said this represents a “fiscally disciplined approach” that will help the Tollway maintain its highest possible bond ratings.
“Our goal with this proposed toll rate increase,” Williams said, “is to carefully balance project benefits with costs for drivers.”
WTTW News’ Blake Thor contributed to this report.
