HARRISBURG (Newsradio 1020 Tolls have gone up on the Pennsylvania turnpike for the past 11 years, but a recent audit says the Turnpike Commission's debt is growing.
PA Auditor General Eugene DePasquale called the continuously increasing turnpike tolls unfair and unsustainable, and said the Turnpike Commission is $11.8 billion in debt.
“To put that into perspective next year’s Turnpike debt is going to be higher than the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, from all other sources. Unbelievable,” said DePasquale.
DePasquale adds all the tolls are doing is forcing drivers away from the turnpike.
“It’s simply more cost effective for them to add an extra half hour to their drive maybe it’s a little more gas money but they don’t pay the huge toll.”
He asked the state General Assembly to re-evaluate Acts 44 and 89 which mandate the Turnpike Commission to contribute $450 million annually to state transportation projects outside of the turnpike
“It’s simply more cost effective for them to add an extra half hour to their drive maybe it’s a little more gas money but they don’t pay the huge toll.”
He says the turnpike is in danger of defaulting on its debt payments if the state General Assembly doesn’t re-evaluate acts 44 and 89.
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