PA Turnpike to get rid of traditional tolls on this stretch of highway

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission announced Wednesday that tolls on the turnpike east of Reading and on the Northeast Extension would switch to open road tolling in January 2025.

What is open road tolling?

Open road tolling systems charge tolls via sensors overhead and in the roadway that determine each vehicle's height and number of axles. The sensor-based collection system allows cars to maintain highway speeds, rather than slowing down to pass through a toll booth.

The commission says open road tolling will save the PA Turnpike $25 million per year in maintenance and operation costs. The commission also noted that more than 65% of U.S. tolling agencies are using open road tolling.

The most common complaint about open road tolling is billing errors, according to Peter Furth, a civil engineer at Northeastern University, like the one that happened to E-Z Pass users on the Trenton-Morrisville Toll Bridge in 2022. A malfunctioning sensor was mischarging about 6% of the vehicles it detected, forcing the bridge commission to issue thousands of refunds before the sensor was identified.

When will the PA turnpike change the tolls?

The turnpike commission will officially convert to open road tolling east of Reading and on the Northeast Extension in January 2025, it said, which includes routes stretching from West Chester to Levittown and Scranton.

Do I need an E-Z Pass?

Drivers will have the option to use E-Z Pass or Toll-By-Plate, which captures an image of the license plate and bills the driver by mail. E-Z Pass tolls are about 60% cheaper than the other option, according to the turnpike website.