Tolling and Pricing Program
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VPP Projects Involving Tolls
Category: Priced Roadways
Sub-Category: Priced Tollways

Project - ILLINOIS: Illinois Tollway Value Pricing Pilot Study

The Illinois Tollway operates 274 miles of interstate tollways in twelve counties in northern Illinois including the Chicago suburban area. The eastern portion of the I-88 Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway (formerly the East-West Tollway) from Illinois 31 to the Tri-State Tollway (I-294) a distance of 23 miles is the section chosen for the pilot project study. Phase 1 was designed as a basic feasibility study and evaluation of possible value pricing options. This included identification of alternative pricing strategies, extensive market research, and traffic and socioeconomic impact analysis.

Study Completed

The Illinois Tollway approved a comprehensive ten-year Congestion-Relief Plan on September 30, 2004. The plan included a toll rate structure that incorporated some of the value pricing concepts included in this study. The new toll rates went into effect and variable pricing was introduced in January 2005. The Tollway is now evaluating the impacts of the new toll rate structure. The original idea of this study was to test a value pricing strategy on a portion of the system on a pilot basis. This possible pilot test has in effect been replaced by a system-wide implementation of a limited value pricing approach. A summary of the new toll rate structure is as follows: For passenger car users the structure provides a strong incentive for participation in the electronic toll collection program that is called I-PASS on the Illinois Tollway. There was no toll increase for drivers using I-PASS, while tolls were doubled for drivers using cash to pay the toll. Time of day pricing was instituted for commercial vehicles. All commercial vehicles traveling overnight (10 pm to 6 am) receive a discount on tolls. Commercial vehicles using I-PASS traveling off-peak on weekdays and on weekends also receive a discount.

Results of the analysis were presented in a poster session at the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting in January 2006. The project is essentially complete.

For More Information Contact

Eugene Ryan
Wilbur Smith Associates
Phone: (630) 434-8111 extension 107
E-mail: eryan@wilbursmith.com

Dean Mentjes
Mobility Engineer
FHWA
Phone: (217) 492-4631
E-mail: dean.mentjes@fhwa.dot.gov


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