The state auditor general says the PA turnpike is still facing financial struggles, and travelers are bearing the brunt.
In a new audit released Wednesday, Tim DeFoor highlighted increasing tolls as the commission's debt grows.
"At some point, and maybe sooner than later, it's going to be too expensive to use the turnpike for both travelers and also for commerce, and frankly its unacceptable."
At this point the debt for the PA Turnpike Commission is almost $2 billion more than the actual state government of Pennsylvania itself.
With tolls only rising in the past few years, DeFoor says drivers have been the one paying the price.
The audit produced three findings:
Finding 1: The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission continues to face significant challenges to raise toll revenue to make future payments to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) under the current Act 44/89 financial structure, its associated debt payments and expenditures for capital projects
Finding 2: : Uncollected tolls have continued to increase and therefore, the Commission must continue to seek new ways to collect tolls due from both in and out-of-state travelers.
Finding 3: The anti-discrimination language in the Commission's contracts for amenities provided to its customers at service plazas is outdated and lacking content.
As part of 23 recommendations for improvements, DeFoor is asking legislators and the commission work together to address its financial structure, more efficiently collect tolls and update language in contracts for service plaza vendors.
In a statement, turnpike commission CEO Mark Compton said they're open to working with legislators, but paying its debt to PennDot will continue to require toll increases for the next 28 years.
"The Auditor General goes a step further, recommending that the Turnpike and state legislature work together on measures to further relieve our organization from the resulting debt-service obligations and release travelers from these incessant, mandatory toll increases," he wrote. "We at the Turnpike welcome any opportunity to work with the General Assembly to find creative, innovative solutions to mitigate the
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