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Pa. Turnpike to seek an increase in tolls

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Director's Note: Lending support to the feasibility of the through-bound truck ban, in yesterday's Philadelphia Inquirer, James Runk, director of the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association, the state's lobbying arm for 2,300 firms and independent truckers, suggests that the trucking industry is already trying to encourage trucks to use the Turnpike, instead of less appropriate state roads: "The turnpike quite frankly is a safer road for us," Runk said. "To turn around and increase the tolls when we're trying to get people on the turnpike is not good."

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HARRISBURG — For the first time since 1991, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission will seek a toll increase to repair crumbling bridges and tunnels, and update aging computer and maintenance equipment.

A high-ranking turnpike official, who asked to remain anonymous, said officials met yesterday with consultants to craft a strategy to roll out a toll increase in June.

Bill Capone, a turnpike spokesman, said the commission's staff would hold a news conference today to discuss tolls. Capone would not discuss details of the announcement, but two people familiar with the talks said the commissioners would be asked to consider an increase that would bring tolls in line with inflation since the last increase in 1991.

The cost of living has increased about 36 percent since 1991, according to the U.S. Department of Labor's inflation calculator. That means drivers who pay $4.70 to drive from Harrisburg to Philadelphia could pay about $6.40, or an increase of about $1.70, if the commission approves a toll increase to cover inflationary costs.

Before raising the tolls, the five-member board of commissioners would have to hold a public meeting and approve the plan by a majority vote.

Three local turnpike commissioners - Chairman Mitchell Rubin and Commissioners Timothy Carson and Pasquale "Pat" T. Deon Sr. - could not be reached for comment.

The last rate increase was 30 percent, and generated an additional $50 million a year. It was approved in March 1991 and went into effect in June of that year.

All the money raised through the latest proposal is expected to bolster the turnpike's capital budget, which was about $200 million in 2003-2004, officials said.

The turnpike has mammoth capital projects in the works. Over the next decade, the turnpike has committed to spending more than $1 billion for the total reconstruction of the road, which opened in October 1940. The rehabilitation of turnpike bridges alone is expected to cost $394 million over the next 10 years.

In addition, the long-awaited $640 million construction of the connection between Interstate 95 and Interstate 276 in Lower Bucks County will require $64 million in turnpike and state funds. And in Southwestern Pennsylvania, the turnpike is still assembling a financing strategy to raise more than half of the $4.2 billion needed to finish the seven highway projects that make up the Mon/Fayette Expressway and Southern Beltway initiative.

On average, about 412,000 vehicles ride the turnpike each day.

Turnpike motorists in Southeastern Pennsylvania pay between 4 cents and 6 cents a mile to traverse America's oldest toll highway. To ride the 359 miles from Philadelphia to the Ohio state line, motorists pay $14.80. A fully loaded tractor-trailer making the same trip pays $80.85.

Truckers knew they had it coming. James Runk, director of the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association, the state's lobbying arm for 2,300 firms and independent truckers, said he met with turnpike officials last month to discuss the likelihood of a toll increase. About 62,000 commercial vehicles use the turnpike daily.

All the same, Runk added yesterday, a toll increase comes "at the wrong time for us."

With the economy reviving, more freight is moving, he said. But some truckers in that extremely competitive business shy away from using the turnpike to keep costs down.

"The turnpike quite frankly is a safer road for us," Runk said. "To turn around and increase the tolls when we're trying to get people on the turnpike is not good."

News of a pending toll hike came as a surprise to some toll takers and their union representatives.

The Teamsters represent the agency's 1,300 toll collectors and have been negotiating with turnpike officials about health benefits and job security since their three-year contract expired in September.

"They don't ask us about toll raises," said Chris Merck, a spokesman for Teamsters Local 25, representing turnpike employees in Western Pennsylvania.

"They need a toll hike big time," said Richie Balsamo, a 58-year-old toll collector from the Willow Grove interchange. "It is the big Band-Aid that they need."

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Contact staff writer John Sullivan at 717-787-5934 or johnsullivan@phillynews.com.