1. United States
2. Ill.
3. Letter

I am writing to express my strong opposition to any increase in Illinois tollway rates. The current cost of using our toll roads is already excessive. On a short weekend trip just a couple of weeks ago, I was charged four separate tolls at nearly $10 each. That was about $40 for a single trip, an amount that places a real burden on working families, especially those earning lower wages. For years, drivers have been told that high tolls were necessary to fund construction and improvements. Yet many of these projects have been ongoing for more than a decade or are already complete, and toll rates have not come down. There is also little justification for charging such high rates on roads like the Chicago Skyway, where drivers often see no meaningful reduction in travel time. Instead of increasing tolls, Illinois should be looking for ways to reduce them and work toward eliminating them altogether. Toll roads were originally presented as a temporary means of funding infrastructure, not as a permanent and ever growing source of revenue. I urge you to oppose any proposal to raise toll rates and instead advocate for greater accountability, transparency, and relief for Illinois drivers. Illinois families are already paying enough, and increasing tolls would only make daily life more expensive for the people who can least afford it. Thank you for your time and consideration.