The Illinois Tollway Thursday unveiled plans for a new I-Pass-only Illinois Route 390 that will feature six electronic toll collection points over 10.5 miles — some with tolls as small as 20 cents.
The shorter distance between over-the-road gantry toll collectors means residents of adjacent Itasca, Roselle, Hanover Park and Wood Dale won’t be penalized with big toll charges for taking short trips on a road that is currently free.
Traveling the entire 10.5-mile route will cost $1.90, with tolls as high as 60 cents, depending on the area traveled.
The 10.5-mile corridor has 31 entry and exit points, which would have made tolling at ramps less equitable, Illinois Tollway spokeswoman Wendy Abrams said.
“We wanted to encourage both short and long trips,” Abrams said.
A widened Illinois Route 390 — the east-west portion of the Elgin O’Hare Western Access Project — will be the first all-electronic corridor on the Illinois Tollway system.
The first section — from Lake Street to I-290 — should be completed by the end of 2015, with toll collection to kick off in 2016. The second section — from I-290 to Busse Road — is expected to be completed at the end of 2017.
Before either section opens, the Tollway hopes to nail down some new options for infrequent users. It is investigating pre-paid temporary passes, guest passes, and ways to pay tolls on the Tollway website before or after trips.
“This plan is broadly supported by local communities who emphasized the need for equitable tolling along Illinois Route 390,” Tollway Executive Director Kristi Lafleur said in a news release.
“Local residents and others can continue using this roadway for short trips, while gaining access to greater mobility throughout the region.”
