Editing Pennsylvania Turnpike (section)

==Tolls==
[[File:PA TPK EB toll gantry from Flinthill Road overpass.jpeg|thumb|right|Mainline all-electronic toll gantry in [[Upper Merion Township, Pennsylvania|Upper Merion Township]]]]
The turnpike uses [[all-electronic tolling]], with [[toll by plate]] (which uses [[Automatic number-plate recognition|automatic license-plate recognition]] and mails a bill to the vehicle owner) or [[E-ZPass]]. Between the mainline Warrendale and Neshaminy Falls toll plazas, tolls are based on distance traveled.<ref name="ptctolls">{{cite book |url = https://files.paturnpike.com/production/docs/default-source/resources/tolls/toll-schedule-2023/tollschedule_2024_tolls.pdf |title = 2024 Toll Schedule |publisher = Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission |year = 2024 |access-date = January 7, 2024 }}</ref> An eastbound mainline toll gantry is at Gateway (near the Ohio state line), and a westbound mainline toll gantry is at the Delaware River Bridge near the New Jersey state line; both charging a flat toll.<ref name=ptctolls/><ref>{{cite web |title = PA Turnpike Toll By Plate – What is it? |publisher = Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission |url = https://www.paturnpike.com/toll/tollbyplate.aspx |access-date = January 3, 2016 }}</ref> There is no toll between Gateway and Warrendale, and between Neshaminy Falls and the Delaware River Bridge.<ref name=ptctolls/>

{{As of|2025}}, it costs $104.78 for a passenger vehicle to travel the length of the mainline turnpike between Warrendale and Neshaminy Falls using toll by plate and $52.39 using E-ZPass; the eastbound Gateway toll gantry charges $15.96 with toll by plate and $7.88 with E-ZPass for passenger vehicles, and the westbound Delaware River Bridge toll gantry charges $10.19 for toll by plate and $7.67 for E-ZPass.<ref name=ptctolls/> The turnpike has raised tolls each January 1 since 2009 to fund mandated Act&nbsp;44 annual payments to the [[Pennsylvania Department of Transportation]] (PennDOT).<ref name=TPKAct44 />

[[File:PennaPike toll plaza.jpg|left|thumb|alt=Smaller toll plaza, with semi-trailer truck at a booth|Toll plaza at the Somerset interchange before conversion to all-electronic tolling]]
[[File:PA TPK ticket from Willow Grove 2013.jpeg|left|thumb|A toll ticket received at the Willow Grove interchange in 2013]]

Until March 2020, the turnpike used a [[ticket system]] between the Warrendale and Neshaminy Falls toll plazas.<ref name="ptctolls2019">{{cite book |url = https://sapaturnpike.blob.core.windows.net/production/docs/default-source/resources/tolls/2019-toll_schedule.pdf?sfvrsn=f1c653b5_19 |title = 2019 Toll Schedule |publisher = Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission |year = 2019 |access-date = January 7, 2019 }}</ref> Motorists received a ticket listing the toll for each exit; the ticket was surrendered when exiting, and the applicable toll was paid. If the ticket was lost, motorists were charged the maximum toll for that exit.<ref name=ptcrules>{{cite web |title = Traffic Rules and Regulations |publisher = Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission |access-date = August 3, 2015 |url = https://www.paturnpike.com/travel/traffic_rules_regulations.aspx }}</ref> Cash, credit cards, and E-ZPass were accepted at toll plazas.<ref name=ptctolls2019/>

In 2010, [[McCormick Taylor]] and Wilbur Smith Associates were hired to conduct a feasibility study on converting the road to electronic tolls.<ref name=intell122910>{{cite news |last = Mattar |first = George |title = Turnpike considers getting rid of cash tolls |work = The Intelligencer |location = Doylestown, Pennsylvania |date = December 29, 2010 |page = 1 }}</ref> On March 6, 2012, the turnpike commission announced that it was implementing the plan.<ref name=pn3612>{{cite news |last = Thompson |first = Charles |title = Caution: All-E-Z Pass turnpike ahead |work = The Patriot-News |location = Harrisburg, Pennsylvania |date = March 6, 2012 |page = A1 }}</ref> The turnpike commission projected that it would save $65&nbsp;million annually in labor costs by eliminating toll collectors.<ref name=inq31312>{{cite news |last = Nussbaum |first = Paul |title = Pa. Turnpike looks at much higher non-E-ZPass rates |work = The Philadelphia Inquirer |date = March 13, 2012 |page = A1 }}</ref> On January 3, 2016, electronic tolling was introduced at the westbound Delaware River Bridge mainline toll plaza, and the eastern terminus of the ticket system was moved from the Delaware River Bridge to Neshaminy Falls.<ref>{{cite news |last = Behrman |first = Elizabeth |title = Toll over Pennsylvania Turnpike's Delaware Bridge will be cashless |work = [[Greensburg Tribune-Review]] |date = January 1, 2016 |url = http://triblive.com/state/pennsylvania/9721907-74/toll-turnpike-cashless#axzz3w9w77QBk |access-date = January 3, 2016 }}</ref> On October 27, 2019, electronic tolling was implemented at the eastbound Gateway mainline toll plaza.<ref>{{cite news |last = Blazina |first = Ed |title = Pa. Turnpike begins cashless tolling Sunday at Ohio border, Route 66 bypass |work = Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date = October 24, 2019 |url = https://www.post-gazette.com/news/transportation/2019/10/24/Pennsylvania-Turnpike-cashless-tolling-Ohio-border-Turnpike-Route-66-bypass/stories/201910230172 |access-date = October 26, 2019 }}</ref> Electronic tolling was originally scheduled to be implemented on the entire length of the turnpike in late 2021.<ref name=inq11219>{{cite news |last = Blazina |first = Ed |title = Pa. Turnpike won't take cash by fall 2021 |work = The Philadelphia Inquirer |date = November 2, 2019 |url = https://www.inquirer.com/news/pennsylvania-turnpike-all-cashless-tolls-layoffs-20191102.html |access-date = November 3, 2019 }}</ref>

By 2020, about 86&nbsp;percent of turnpike vehicles already used E-ZPass for payment of tolls.<ref>{{cite news |last=Southwick |first=Ron |date=July 21, 2020 |title=Pa. Turnpike raising tolls again in 2021; those without E-ZPass will pay much more |url=https://www.pennlive.com/news/2020/07/pa-turnpike-raising-tolls-again-in-2021-those-without-e-zpass-will-pay-much-more.html |access-date=January 15, 2021 |publisher=PennLive}}</ref> In March 2020, the switch to electronic tolling was made early as a result of the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Pennsylvania|COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{cite news |last = Tierney |first = Jacob |title = Pennsylvania Turnpike to lay off 500 employees, make cashless tolling permanent |publisher = TribLive |date = June 2, 2020 |url = https://triblive.com/news/pennsylvania/pennsylvania-turnpike-to-lay-off-500-employees-make-cashless-tolling-permanent/ |access-date = June 2, 2020 }}</ref> The electronic tolling system used toll booths at exits until toll [[Gantry (transport)|gantries]] between interchanges were built.<ref name=inq11219/><ref>{{cite news |last = Blazina |first = Ed |title = Pennsylvania Turnpike to build new toll plaza – but with no booths – in North Hills |work = Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date = November 29, 2020 |url = https://www.post-gazette.com/news/transportation/2020/11/29/Pennsylvania-Turnpike-Warrendale-toll-booths-E-ZPass-travel-transporation/stories/202011290058 |access-date = November 30, 2020 }}</ref> The first toll gantries on the Northeast Extension and on the mainline east of the Reading interchange began operation in January 2025, and the remainder of the toll gantries along the western portion of the turnpike are expected to begin operation by late 2026.<ref>{{cite news |last = Kratz |first = Alyssa |title = Pennsylvania Turnpike to implement open road tolling by 2025 |publisher = WPMT-TV |location = York, Pennsylvania |date = December 2, 2022 |url = https://www.fox43.com/article/news/community/pennsylvania-turnpike-open-road-tolling-electronic-ez-pass/521-cbf9215d-d4e0-49ad-b62d-9f6bb7a685e0 |access-date = January 1, 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title = Open Road Tolling |publisher = Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission |url = https://www.paturnpike.com/all-electronic-tolling/open-road-tolling |access-date = May 2, 2023 }}</ref> After all toll gantries are fully operating, the PTC plans to demolish all toll plazas.

===Act 44, Act 89, and toll increases===
Under a 2007 law, Act 44, the Turnpike has been mandated to provide $450 million, a sizable share of its revenue, annually to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Department of Transportation for transit and other purposes.<ref name=Cramer>{{cite web |title=Pennsylvania Court Case Sheds Light on Long-Running Toll Revenue Saga |author=William Cramer |website=ibtta |date=September 10, 2019 |url=https://www.ibtta.org/insights/pennsylvania-court-case-sheds-light-long-running-toll-revenue-saga}}</ref> The PTC, which previously had raised tolls only six times in 64 years,<ref name=TPKAct44>{{cite web |title=PA Turnpike Makes Final $450 Million Transit Payment to PennDOT Today |website=PATurnpike.com |url=https://www.paturnpike.com/news/details/2021/09/14/20210728144102 |date=July 28, 2021 |accessdate=April 23, 2025}}</ref> began to increase tolls every January 1. Its debt increased to be about equal to the entire General Obligation debt of the state.<ref name=TPKAct44 /> Under Act 89 of 2013, the $450 million payments were to be reduced to $50 million in 2022. But the Turnpike still must work off the debt, all of which is in 30-year bonds, and so annual toll increases will continue for many years.<ref name=Cramer />

An analysis by Australian insurance company [[Budget Direct]] found the Pennsylvania Turnpike the world's most expensive toll road.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Which countries have the most expensive toll roads? {{!}} Car Research & Statistics — Budget Direct™ |url=https://www.budgetdirect.com.au/car-insurance/research/taking-the-toll.html |access-date=September 12, 2023 |website=Budget Direct |language=en-AU}}</ref><ref name="www.cbsnews.com-2021">{{Cite web |date = March 8, 2021 |title = Pennsylvania Turnpike Rejects Claims That Its Tolls Are The Highest In The World – CBS Pittsburgh |url = https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/pennsylvania-turnpike-most-expensive-toll-road/ |access-date = September 12, 2023 |website = www.cbsnews.com |language = en-US }}</ref> Turnpike spokesperson Carl DeFebo disputed Budget Direct's claim, saying that the analysis looked at all of the turnpike's toll roads together; "Nobody would ever go south towards Pittsburgh, east towards Philadelphia, then north towards Scranton. That's a 400-plus mile trip", and turnpike tolls are comparable to other toll roads on a per-mile basis.<ref name="www.cbsnews.com-2021" />