Crossing the state is about $100
Before diving too deep into this look at toll roads around the world, a disclaimer is necessary. The information comes from Australia-based
Budget Direct Although it acknowledges that it might not have the most current and accurate information about highway costs across the globe, This is a guideline, not a gospel. Even though the statistics aren’t exactly close, they can still be eye-opening. It may not be shocking for Pennsylvanians. Budget Direct’s report shows that the Keystone State is not only the most expensive place in America, but also the world for toll roads. Interstate 76 – also known as the Pennsylvania Turnpike – is an east/west highway that runs across the state. It will cost you $112.91 if you travel the entire length. According to a report by KDKA, the cost of the turnpike extension north from Philadelphia is included in the price. This “nobody” would do a state-wide trip.
KDKA reports that the cost to drive across Pennsylvania on the turnpike is $92, excluding the stretch from Philadelphia to Scranton. This figure keeps Pennsylvania at the top by a large margin. Austria’s Grossglockner High Alpine Road is second on the list, at $45.43, which is less than half of the cost of traveling through Pennsylvania via the ‘pike.
Budget Direct also examines average toll costs per country. This changes the ranking dramatically. With an average cost $26.52, Switzerland is the most expensive country for toll roads. Austria comes in second place at $16.31, followed closely by the Faroe Islands at $16.28, Croatia $15.30 and Denmark at 10.75. The average cost of the United States is $5.38, despite Pennsylvania’s best efforts.
Pennsylvania is an example of a state where the cost of total distance does not necessarily reflect the entire story. The Pennsylvania Turnpike runs 360 miles and costs money. The Lincoln Tunnel in New York, on the other hand, is only 1.5 miles long and crosses at a cost of $16. Pennsylvania, however, is very expensive compared to long-distance highways at 31 cents per mile. The Ohio Turnpike, which is 241 miles long, costs 8 cents per mi. While the New York State Thruway, which covers 496 miles and is the longest toll road in America at 6 cents per millee, costs just 6 cents.