The Illinois State Toll Highway Authority has announced plans to increase toll rates beginning in January 2027 and will hold a series of public hearings in July 2026 to gather input on the proposal. The hearings will be held across multiple counties in Illinois, including Lake, Cook, McHenry, DuPage, Lee, DeKalb, Winnebago, Whiteside, Will, Kane, Ogle, and Boone counties.

The sessions are scheduled between July 13 and July 24 at various venues such as the Greenbelt Cultural Center in North Chicago, Roosevelt University Schaumburg, College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, and Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. Times vary between morning, afternoon, and evening to accommodate public participation. The hearings are intended to comply with section 11(c) of the Toll Highway Act and offer residents the opportunity to express opinions, suggestions, or objections regarding the proposed toll adjustments. Written statements can also be submitted at the hearings or online until August 3, 2026.

The proposed toll increases would affect both passenger and commercial vehicles using the Illinois Tollway system. For passenger vehicles with I-PASS, a variety of rates would rise, for example, currently $0.20 might increase to $0.30, $0.40 to $0.45, and other increments depending on the segment. Larger rate hikes were noted for longer segments, with increases from $1.90 to $3.05 and $3.80 to $4.60 per segment in some cases.

Commercial vehicle tolls across different size classes—small, medium, and large—are also slated to rise substantially. For instance, rates for small commercial vehicles would increase from $0.55 to $0.70, while large commercial vehicle tolls may rise from $1.40 to $1.80 initially, with the highest proposed rates reaching as much as $26.15 per segment for the largest vehicles.

In addition to the initial increase taking effect January 1, 2027, the Tollway intends to institute biennial toll adjustments starting in 2029, tied to inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), with a cap of 8 percent on each increase.

To ensure accessibility, the Tollway has committed to providing accommodations such as sign language interpreters upon request, with advance notice. Detailed information on the proposed rates and related documents are available on the Illinois Tollway’s official website.

The Tollway encourages public engagement as it reviews these adjustments aimed at funding maintenance, improvements, and operational costs of the roadway system serving millions of Illinois commuters and commercial operators.