The new tolling system begins Sunday and is planned to be across the state by 2027.
Starting Sunday, drivers traveling on the Pennsylvania Turnpike east of Reading and on the Northeast Extension will experience the new open-road tolling system. The system, which eliminates traditional toll booths, uses overhead “gantries” equipped with electronic devices to collect tolls. These devices will either read drivers’ E-ZPass transponders or capture license plate numbers, billing drivers by mail.
This shift to cashless tolling is a significant step in the Turnpike Commission’s plan, initially announced in 2020, to modernize the toll collection process and remove toll collector positions. Open-road tolling is expected to be fully implemented across the entire turnpike by 2027.
The Turnpike Commission recommends using E-ZPass transponders, which provide a 50% discount on tolls. In 2025, tolls will be adjusted due to standardization and changes in vehicle classification, with most drivers seeing a small change of under $1.
According to Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Secretary and PA Turnpike Commission Chair Mike Carroll, “from Jan. 1, through Nov. 30, the PA Turnpike has seen more than 193 million customers use the more than 565 miles of roadway — a 0.6% increase in volume compared to the same period in 2023. Passenger vehicle traffic is at 95% of its peak 2019 levels, while commercial vehicle traffic is 15% above 2019 levels.”
