Statement: Pritzker’s transit bill contains unneeded, perpetual toll hikes
Illinois Policy finds the average toll hikes could cost the typical commuter as much as $329 more per year

CHICAGO (Dec. 16, 2025) – Today, Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed Illinois’ transit reform package, giving the Illinois Tollway permission to hike tolls by an average of 57% for drivers and 30% for commercial trucks to generate $1 billion in road funding – money the tollway neither asked for nor needs.

The Chicago area mass transit package passed last month also allows the tollway to hike the average toll cost to $1.24 for drivers – if the tollway board chooses to do so.

If passed, the toll hike will then automatically increase with inflation starting in 2029. The increase is limited to 4% each year, to be applied every two years.

New research from the Illinois Policy Institute found the average toll hikes could cost the typical commuter as much as $329 more per year beginning in 2027. Truckers would pay up to $1,264 extra.

The tollway board, consisting of Pritzker appointees, could vote as soon as Dec. 18 to impose this increase on drivers.

What to know about Illinois’ toll hike: 

• An automatic increase tied to inflation has led to Illinois’ gas tax becoming one of the highest in the country, rising from 19 cents in 2019 to 48 cents in 2025, and has generated a $3 billion surplus for the road fund.
• The Illinois Tollway already proposed a balanced budget, not reliant on a toll hike, as revenue from Illinois tolls already hit a decade high last year.
• These higher costs hit drivers who have already paid $1,505 more in higher gas taxes and fees since 2019.
• The revenue of the tollway hike doesn’t go toward the Regional Transit Authority or Chicago area public transportation. Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch said the $1 billion in future construction was used to gain support from labor unions.

“The Tollway Board doesn’t need this money. This was essentially a bribe on taxpayers’ backs to win labor union support for the Chicago-area transit bailout – and lawmakers have admitted that. The board should reject this unnecessary increase on Illinois drivers,” said Patrick Andriesen, a writer for Illinois Policy. 

To learn more about Illinois’ tollway tax hike, visit illin.is/toll-hike.

For bookings or interviews, contact media@illinoispolicy.org or (312) 607-4977.