Structure Illinois State Toll Highway Authority

interchange i-55, formerly southern terminus of i-355

as of 2017, istha maintains , operates 292 miles (470 km) of tollways in 12 counties in northern illinois, comprising 5 routes:

jane addams memorial tollway (i-39/i-90/us 51)
veterans memorial tollway (i-355)
ronald reagan memorial tollway/chicago–kansas city expressway (i-88/il 56/il 110)
tri-state tollway (i-80/i-94/i-294)
elgin-o hare tollway (il 390)

except vicinity of o hare international airport, none enter city of chicago. chicago skyway, owned city of chicago on 99-year lease skyway concession company, toll road in illinois not operated istha.

toll collection

istha sets tolls @ level necessary maintain , operate system while retiring bond debt, , required conduct public hearings on proposed toll increase. in 1958, tolls set @ 25 cents @ main plazas , 10 cents @ exit ramps. in 1983, tolls increased 40 cents @ main plazas , 15 cents @ ramps. advent of i-pass system in 2005, tolls cash payments doubled, while rates cars equipped i-pass transponders remained same. on january 1, 2012, tolls increased 87 percent, 75 cents @ main plazas transponder-equipped cars, , $1.50 paying cash. in addition, congestion pricing used charge trucks rate $0.50 or $1.00 higher during rush hour during off-peak hours.

users pay tolls @ designated plaza either driving under transponder antenna or driving through toll gate , paying cash. cash price twice transponder price. lesser tolls collected on entrance , exit ramps near main toll plazas average toll 2.6 cents per mile (1.6 ¢/km) passenger vehicles i-pass. trucks , commercial vehicles pay higher toll, discount travel during non-peak hours. current rate structure projected generate $850 million in annual revenue 2012.

until mid-1970s, jane addams memorial tollway (then northwest tollway) used ticket system on segment between elgin , beloit collect tolls based upon exact mileage traveled. drivers handed hollerith card when entered segment , paid toll when left.

i-pass illinois tollway’s electronic transponder toll collection system allows drivers pre-pay tolls. of 2010, tollway drivers use 3.3 million i-pass transponders. every toll lane on system equipped accept i-pass can used on chicago skyway , anywhere e-zpass accepted. (e-zpass transponder consortium of toll road authorities on east coast.) refundable deposit of $10 , $20 in pre-paid tolls charged @ time of purchase. illinois tollway offers auto-pay replenishment option registering credit or debit card i-pass account @ time of activation. each month, minimum balance , replenishment amounts recalculated based on average usage during previous 6 months. special program low-income motorists allows them obtain i-pass units reduced outlay of $20. users choosing replenish account without auto-pay responsible monitoring transactions , balance , must pay $20 refundable deposit. there various options self-pay replenishment, including tollway service centers located @ 5 oasis rest stops. customers wishing pay check or cash can pay @ oasis customer service centers or can buy $20 i-pass gift cards @ jewel-osco.

the illinois tollway has implemented open road tolling, allowing vehicle i-pass compatible transponder (including i-zoom , e-zpass users) continue through toll plaza @ highway speeds while paying cash have stop @ tollbooth. if vehicle registered i-pass passes through toll collection without transponder, toll amount automatically deducted respective i-pass account. process called v-tolls (video tolls).