The rates that drivers pay on the Indiana Toll Road will increase next month. The Indiana Toll Road Concession Company, which owns the toll road, announced that their rates will increase by around 9-10% starting on July 1st. How much the rates increase will depend on the class of the vehicle travelling and the distance travelled.

The Toll Road separates its rates into classes based on how many axles a vehicle has. Standard two-axle vehicles travelling from Ohio to Illinois will pay $13.50, up from $12.88 previously. Semi-trucks, which generally have five axles, will see their rates increase from $66.30 to $72.88 for the same trip.

Interestingly, the rate increase will bring together the costs when paying with cash or with EZ-pass, the Toll Road’s Electronic Tolling Collection (ETC) system. Historically, E-Z passes were slightly more expensive than cash. The new rates will make the prices virtually identical.

Indiana Toll Road rate increases were expected but still sting

Rate increases are part of the road’s 75-year lease agreement. However, during a period of record-high inflation and gas prices, the increases will hurt users more. The ITRCC, in its press release, reminded Indianans of its commitment to maintaining the road. The company has invested over $600 million into the maintenance and improvement projects since 2016.

Though publicly operated for most of its history, the ITRCC is now owned by the Australian firm IFM Partners. IFM purchased the lease agreement in 2015 from the road’s previous owner, a consortium of Cintra and Macquarie Atlas Roads. Cintra-Macquarie, who also owned the Chicago Skyway for a time, filed for bankruptcy in 2014.

The Toll Road was constructed back in the 1950s. It spans northern Indiana, including cities like South Bend and Gary, and connects Illinois and Ohio. It is part of Interstate 90, one of the longest continuous highways in the US. The toll road also runs concurrently with I-80 from Lake Station to the Ohio state line.