Illinois State Toll Highway Authority officials say the number of cars using the state’s toll roads dipped by 4.5 percent since fees for users nearly doubled on Jan. 1.
Spokeswoman Wendy Abrams says the decrease was not as great as the 5.9 percent drop forecast by the agency’s engineers.
Despite the expected decrease in auto traffic, tollway officials say they expect a 41.9 percent increase in revenue in 2012. Abrams says during the first week, revenue increased 45.7 percent.
Tollway authorities raised rates to fund a $12 billion construction program. Plans include widening and resurfacing roads, along with a new interchange to connect Interstate 294 and Interstate 57. Officials said the improvements will increase economic development and create an estimated 120,000 jobs in the region over the next 15 years.
Topics Illinois
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