The most common passenger I-PASS toll will rise from 75 cents to $1.20 on Jan. 1, while commercial I-PASS rates will increase by about 30% to help fund a $26.5 billion infrastructure program.
Drivers across northern Illinois will pay more to use the Illinois Tollway beginning Jan. 1, 2027, after the agency’s board approved new rates for passenger and commercial vehicles.
The Illinois Tollway Board voted 8-0 on Aug. 19 to approve the increases alongside Driving Connections, a $26.5 billion capital program that will guide Tollway investments through 2042.
At the most common mainline toll plaza, a passenger I-PASS toll will climb by 45 cents, from 75 cents to $1.20 — a 60% increase. Commercial I-PASS rates will rise by approximately 30%.
Beginning in 2029, toll rates for all vehicle classes are scheduled to be adjusted every two years based on the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers. Under the approved resolution, each adjustment will be capped at 8%.
How Much More Will Drivers Pay?
The exact increase will depend on the toll plaza, vehicle type and payment method.
At the Elgin toll plaza on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, for example, the published 2027 rate schedule lists a passenger toll of $1.20 with I-PASS, $1.80 with Pay By Plate and $2.40 when billed by invoice.
The Illinois Tollway estimates that the average passenger I-PASS cost will increase from approximately 7 cents per mile to 11 cents per mile. The agency says that would remain below the national average of 16 cents per mile.
As an example, if both tolls on a commuter’s daily route increase by 45 cents, the additional cost would total approximately $225 over 250 workdays. Four such tolls per day would add approximately $450 annually.
Actual costs will vary depending on the route, toll plazas, payment method and frequency of travel.
Online Comments Opposed the Increase; Hearing Comments Largely Supported It
The decision followed a public engagement process that produced approximately 18,000 comments through online submissions, mail, email and 13 public hearings held across the 12 counties served by the Illinois Tollway.
Responses differed significantly depending on how they were submitted.
Of the 13,589 comments submitted through the online form outside the public hearings, 77% opposed the proposal, 16% supported it and 7% were classified as neutral.
By comparison, 79% of the 447 comments collected through the 13 public hearings were classified as supportive. Approximately 15% opposed the plan and 5% were neutral. The hearings attracted a combined 1,157 attendees.
Those figures represent submitted comments, not a scientific survey or a count of all Illinois residents. Still, the online response demonstrated substantial concern about affordability, future automatic rate increases, transparency, project management and the Tollway’s spending priorities.
Supporters emphasized road safety, reduced congestion, skilled construction jobs, long-term maintenance and the economic importance of the tollway system.
Some opponents, including representatives of the trucking industry, warned that higher commercial vehicle rates could eventually be passed on to consumers through increased transportation and delivery costs.
Why the Tollway Says the Increase Is Necessary
Illinois Tollway officials say the additional revenue is needed to rebuild aging roads and bridges, improve major interchanges, reduce recurring congestion and modernize the agency’s technology and maintenance systems.
“We listened, we planned and now we have a responsibility to deliver,” Illinois Tollway Executive Director Cassaundra Rouse said in a statement announcing the approval.
The agency operates 294 miles of roadway across 12 northern Illinois counties and says nearly 1.7 million drivers use the system each day.
According to the Illinois Tollway, the agency receives no state or federal funding for its regular maintenance and operations. Toll revenue also supports debt payments on bonds used to finance major construction projects.
Tollway officials say the Driving Connections program is designed to address current maintenance needs while preparing the system for continued traffic growth through 2042.
Where the $26.5 Billion Will Go
Major investments included in the Driving Connections program include:
- I-355: $6.63 billion for projects that include improvements to the I-355 and I-88 interchange and the widening of portions of the corridor between I-55 and Army Trail Road.
- I-88: $3.53 billion for reconstruction, rehabilitation, widening and a new access point in the western portion of the corridor.
- Tri-State Tollway: A combined $7.33 billion for improvements to the northern, central and southern sections of I-94, I-294 and I-80.
- I-90: $2.6 billion for projects that include SmartRoad infrastructure between Elgin and the Kennedy Expressway, expansion of the interchange at Lee Street and reconstruction between Rockford and Elgin.
- Illinois Route 390 and I-490: $830 million for transportation projects near O’Hare International Airport.
- Systemwide projects: $5.57 billion for technology, maintenance facilities and partnerships with other transportation agencies and local communities.
How the Increase Compares With 2012
The 2027 increase is larger in nominal dollars at a common mainline toll plaza, but the 2012 increase was steeper by percentage.
The typical electronic toll increased from 40 cents to 75 cents in 2012, representing an 87.5% increase. The upcoming change from 75 cents to $1.20 represents a 60% increase.
The new rates will therefore mark the first passenger-vehicle toll increase since Jan. 1, 2012. However, descriptions of the change as simply the largest toll increase in Illinois history require additional context.
Commercial vehicle rates have already been subject to inflation-related adjustments in recent years.
What Drivers Should Know Before Jan. 1
The new rate schedule applies to roads operated by the Illinois Tollway, including I-88, I-90, I-355, the I-94/I-294/I-80 Tri-State Tollway corridor and Illinois Route 390.
It does not determine rates for the Chicago Skyway, which is operated separately.
The Illinois Tollway has published a plaza-by-plaza rate table and trip calculator on its Driving Connections webpage.
Because toll prices vary by route, vehicle type and payment method, checking a regular trip directly through the Tollway’s official calculator is the most reliable way for drivers to estimate their additional costs before the new rates take effect Jan. 1.
Sources
- Illinois Tollway Board Approves $26.5 Billion Capital Program to Reduce Congestion, Modernize Tollway System — Illinois Tollway
- Proposed Toll Rates Effective January 1, 2027 — Illinois Tollway
- 2026 Proposed Toll Rate Increase: Public Outreach and Comment Report — Illinois Tollway
- Illinois Tollway Board Resolutions, Aug. 19, 2026 — Illinois Tollway
- Illinois Tollway Board OKs 45-Cent Toll Increase as Part of $26.5 Billion Capital Projects Plan — WTTW News
