When I first drove from Ohio to Philadelphia (New Stanton to Valley Forge), the price was just under $9 for the trip. The Turnpike needed repair and refurbishment. They celebrated 50 years, but it looked like many things were from that first year.
When I left the Philadelphia area after 8 years, the price of that same trip was just under $12, and they had some construction happening.
I took a similar trip in 2006, and the price rise was unexpected and now, this week, it was almost $22.
I can commend them for actually making some improvements on the road, finishing some construction after 16 years, and re-building service plazas. The poor fuel cashiers don't have to sit out in the freezing cold or blazing heat at most plazas I visited.
However, I wonder how much the Union is getting out of it--too much, I think. I remember a woman at the Norristown exit who pocketed a few of my $5 bills when I gave her a $10 bill. They really don't need that, do they? Union members always make too much money anyway.
It wasn't great, but it wasn't awful travelling so far on the Turnpike but they need to fix the prices to better reflect everyone using it, not just the people working it. read more