Sticker shock PA turnpike

[mrmichael]

Let me preface by saying I spent most of my adult life in NJ before moving to FL about 12 years ago, so I am well versed on having to pay tolls. We recently were in NJ for a family wedding and travelled from there to western NY. I went thru one toll on the Garden State Parkway and paid 6 bucks ( cars were 1.50) so not bad.We are in a motor home and flat towing a car. I was a little chagrined to pay 20 bucks toll at the Ben Franklin bridge. Outside Philadelphia got on the PA turnpike extension (476) and headed north. While in a rest area in Allentown I asked the lady in the store about EZ pass. The display on the counter was empty. I asked if I could buy one and use it right away, and if I could use it at all not being a resident of PA. I was met with a blank stare and she said she didn't know. When I mentioned I was a Florida resident she said oh it's the same thing( NO IT'S NOT!). I didn't buy one
Back on the road. Get off about 70 miles up the road in East Side Pa and hand the obviously new kid in tollbooth my ticket and toll on screen shows 68.50 😳. Even the kid look at it and said that doesn't sound right. He calls his supervisor and she just ( without even looking) says yep that's right and leaves. Eventually another guy comes into toll other and says that's not right. After about 15 minutes he said I owed 19.80 which I paid but think it showed I was paying class two which I think is the price for a car.
Next morning continue north on 476 and paid almost 20 bucks or more for three barrier tolls to the end of PA Trpk. These booths had two lanes for EZ pass and two cash only. The cash only lanes are unattended! There is a bill reader that accepts ones or fives, and a change bin. There is an arm there that only comes up when you throw enough money in. We were scraping in the console and throwing any change we could find into the bin. Crazy
If I travel this way again I would consider a different route or stop at an ATM to have a wad of small bills on hand. Very expensive route

[ilmor]

And to top of the frustration PA has the worst roads in the USA that I have personally drove on. Tolls are really tolls anymore, they are a tax to help "spread the wealth".

[ChooChooMan74]

I was just looking the PA Turnpike for travel to Branson MO. I checked the tolls on the PA Turnpike and yup, that first one was probably correct. From Carlisle to New Stanton would cost me approx $28 cash and $20 in EZPass for the truck and 2 axle trailer.

[Mainframe]

It is my understanding, EZ pass or whatever your state calls it works in all states, I myself was reluctant to jump on board with EZ pass but since doing it, I love it. I recomend getting it in your home state, activate it, (you have to go on their web site, set u a password and log in and reply to the secret email they send you) and then you are done, your activated, they ad money from your account automatically when you get down to 15 bucks or lower.

I live in PA and those money baskets seem to be everywhere! I hate them! I also have read where some exits are going ez pass only, if you don't have ez pass the gate won't go up! CRAZY!

I went through some strange "electronic" man made tunnel at a PA toll booth that lets you stay at 55 mph, it reads ez pass at full speed, that was ok, but the PA turnpike is gouging people for extra axles and trailers etc, this is bullcrap in my opinion, they waste a lot of our money, you shouldn't have to pay on any road! We already paid for it with our tax money!

My advice is to "play the game" and get EZ pass, it will make moving around in this country much easier for you when you travel.

[mrmichael]

For the record I had EZ pass when I lived in NJ. Florida has Epass/Sunpass ( I have a transponder on the motothome) which is not compatible/reciprocal with EZ pass


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[Pinn]

I recently acquired the EZ Pass for my home state after getting gouged for not having one and passing thru several "toll booths"
It lets me know when I have to add more money. Makes life so much easier.

[shelmily]

Being a PA resident, I have used the turnpike many times, and agree they charge way too much. I guess they have to pay for the three lane extension on the lower end of the Northeast extension some how.

Here are the states that accept EZpass.

[RCW]

It has been a few years since I was on it, but the last time I was on the PA turnpike it was expensive and the road was horrible!

[KFX450RXC]

We bought our Vengeance in Md. back in March. We crossed the bridge from Va. to Md. on Hwy. 301 over the Potomac River. No toll booth and no charge. After getting the camper and coming home the same way, we had to go through a toll booth to leave Md. over the same 2-lane bridge. $36 to cross the bridge.

What a racket.

[dblr]

The tolls where you pay only one way are doubled, they did that to ease traffic flow one way so basically they just doubled the cost of one way. EZ Pass usually does offer a discount.

[Celkalee]

Ahhh, Pa toll roads. Live here, don't understand it. In addition, toll booth workers are loosing their jobs to the basket collectors. EZ pass is easier, a little cheaper but this state is not happy unless they are emptying your wallet for one thing or another. Don't even get me started!

[billb800si]

I check maps ahead of time. If it's a "toll road" I just skip it and go local. I would much rather give a business my gas money than a STATE (via tolls).

I'm from Michigan--- WE DON'T HAVE TOLL ROADS..

[Delco Bobby]

Originally Posted by ChooChooMan74

I was just looking the PA Turnpike for travel to Branson MO. I checked the tolls on the PA Turnpike and yup, that first one was probably correct. From Carlisle to New Stanton would cost me approx $28 cash and $20 in EZPass for the truck and 2 axle trailer.

Are these weight classifications the same for all states?

[JJ77]

I live in Pa and use the pike regularly while towing my camper. The charges are very high. But what really burns me is the road conditions. We cant even carry a conversation its so rough.

[ChooChooMan74]

Originally Posted by Delco Bobby

Are these weight classifications the same for all states?

No. Each states does what they want

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[checkmate99]

EZ pass does not work in any states west of the Mississippi River.....they have their own thing going on!

[BandJCarm]

And DW wants to go "back east" to camp. I'm fighting it.

Paying to use public roads.........just amazes me. Especially when it doesn't go towards the roads.

Oklahoma, the Muskogee Turnpike was built with that money. I get that. But paying to go across 412, or I-135 in Wichita. That torques me.

[mdstudey]

Here in Texas you just drive. They scan license plates. No baskets and sometimes no toll booth. We have one just North of Brownsville and hardly anyone uses it. Boondoggle.

[LTRVing]

On NY Thruway, exit 31, coming down from Adirordack area to exit 24, about 90 miles, IIRC was $14.70. (Rig w/toad)

[jtesta1]

how do you think they pay for all the states pension and health and welfare funds.