A massive new transit bill signed into law by Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritkzer Tuesday is set to modernize public transit in Chicago and across the state, according to officials
But it’s also set to increase sales taxes in some counties and create higher Illinois Tollway fees for drivers.
“This is a once in a lifetime investment that will benefit everyone, especially the overall Illinois economy,” Prizker said during a press conference Tuesday.
The bill, which passed in a marathon session in October with mostly Democratic support, would replace the Regional Transportation Authority with a new body called the Northern Illinois Transit Authority. The NITA, which calls for $1.5 billion in annual funding, would have expanded authority over the CTA, Metra and Pace.
According to the legislation, the new annual transit funding will come, in part, from redirecting the state fuel sales tax to fund transit, expected to bring in $860 million annually.
“That tax revenue at the pump previously bolstered the ‘State Road Fund,’” NBC 5 traffic reporter Kye Martin said. “According to the Illinois Department of Revenue, about .48 cents of every dollar spent on motor fuel is what’s at play here. Again, redirecting much of that money away from roads, bridges, and aviation, and to public transit.”
Other funds would come from a sales tax increase of 0.25% in Cook, Lake, McHenry, DuPage and Will counties, officials said.
And, if the Illinois Tollway approves, cars traveling on the tollway could see an increase in tolls as early as 2026.
In order for the bill to earn support from construction and labor unions, Martin said, the state legislature gave the Illinois Tollway Authority governing board the power to raise tolls in the future to continue to fund its various projects.
Under the proposed increase, which raises tolls for passenger vehicles $0.45, a trip to O’Hare on the Tri-State Tollway would cost $1.20. The current cost is $0.75.
State officials said toll revenue will continue to go toward Tollway maintenance, operations and capital improvements. Those dollars will remains separate from the $1.5 billion, which will be dedicated to transit upgrades across Illinois.
Along with the toll hike for passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles would be subject to a 30% toll increase.
Additional fare hikes are possible as well. Prices could increase every two years based on inflation, capped at 4% a year, according to the legislation.
Pritzker’s office shared a fact sheet about the measure, in which they insisted rates along the Illinois Tollway remain low and are “below most peer systems nationwide.”
Supporters have said the higher tollway fares could generate as much as $1 billion annually the tollways, which serve about a dozen counties. Others argued the plan would divert money meant for road projects near them to instead assist with Chicago-area transit needs.
The Illinois Policy Institute, a conservative-leaning thinktank, said the average toll hike could cost the typical commuter as much as $329 more per year starting in 2027. Truck drivers, meanwhile, would pay up to an additional $1,264 in tolls, the institute stated.
The bill also includes provisions designed to make it easier to go from one transit system to another, a unified fare structure, coordinated timetables and a single phone app that will be used by all the agencies.
Safety is also part of the bill, including requiring updated safety plans and a new program that will put unarmed “ambassadors” on trains and buses.
According to officials, the changes included in the bill will go into effect in June 2026.
When could toll increases hit drivers?
The Tollway Board meets Thursday for its final meeting of 2025, Martin said, with 2026 budget plan on the agenda.
“However, it is unlikely that any toll increase will be decided then,” Martin said. “The Tollway has a variety of funding sources already at play – the authority has its own bond sale program, and of course, the current tolls that constantly fund maintenance or expansion.”
According to Martin, drivers can expect clarity by summer of 2026 as to when any toll increase would be implemented.
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