Commuter changed jobs to avoid tolls, warns of rate hikes

State lawmakers voted to hike road tolls in 2027, even though the state has billions in the road fund it’s not using. Some drivers are reconsidering their commutes; Laura Valdez explains why she cut toll roads out of her routine years ago.

Laura Valdez, a registered nurse, spent about a decade working at a surgical center in Warrenville. The commute cost her about $10 a week.

“I would always take the toll in the morning because you’re in a rush,” she said. “If you take the non-toll route, it’s longer. There’s a lot of traffic.”

Sometimes Valdez would avoid tolls on the way home, at the cost of more time and stress.

“I hated it,” she said. “I just got tired of the driving and the tolls and the expense.”

She found a position with a health care facility four miles from her home.

“It’s ten minutes,” she said. “I just drive up a road and there it is, no tolls.” Looking back, she wonders why she didn’t do it sooner.

Apart from the cost itself, Valdez felt cheated by the tolls because of the many other ways drivers fund transportation.

“Gas taxes keep going up,” she said. “You feel like you’re already paying for the roads in so many ways.”

Since 2019, Illinois has tied its gas taxes to inflation, with automatic increases every July 1. This proposed hike will do the same thing with tolls. Drivers pay more than $6 billion when you account for gas, tolls and fees.

Valdez finds that especially frustrating because the hike isn’t needed; the road fund already has a surplus.

“I’ve read they’re talking about raising tolls because they haven’t raised them in a while. That’s insane,” said Valdez.

House Speaker Chris Welch explained the hike like a political favor, saying that road construction unions wouldn’t agree to the state’s public transit funding plan without it.

Valdez points out none of that helps drivers.

“You’re still driving on roads that are in bad condition. Lots of potholes, slow construction,” she said. “I just feel bad for people that have to travel that for their jobs.”

That includes truck drivers, who would also see a hike. Valdez said residential drivers will pay for that too, in the end.

“It’s going to all trickle down to the consumer.”

Although the Illinois legislature approved the hike, the toll board must vote as well before it goes into effect. The 11-member board is appointed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker. It’s unclear when they will bring the proposal up for a vote.

Valdez is asking them to reject the rate hike.

“With the overall increased cost of living, gasoline taxes, the condition of the roads, the frequency of the toll booths, it’s hard on people. It’s taking money out of our pockets,” she said.

If you would also like to address the Toll Board about rejecting this rate hike, you can contact them directly through this form.