Officials propose raising Ohio Turnpike tolls

COLUMBUS — Officials want to raise tolls next fall on the Ohio Turnpike, but motorists can avoid the increases if they adopt the new E-ZPass electronic payment system.

Turnpike commission officials on Monday introduced a plan that would increase the cost of taking a car across the entire length of the turnpike to $15, from the current $10.25. Officials say higher tolls are needed to make up for a decline in revenue due to high fuel prices and the sour economy, which have less vehicles using the highway.

However, car and motorcycle drivers using E-ZPass won’t pay the higher tolls until 2012. When the new system is introduced around the same time as the toll increase, drivers will put a special tag on their windshield to have tolls automatically deducted from an account.