Illinois Tollway extends relief program

DOWNERS GROVE—The Illinois Tollway is extending its popular toll violation relief program though June 30, providing drivers with an additional six months to take advantage of the TOLLING 2020 reforms that reduce all existing $20 and $50 violation fines to $3 fee per toll.

Drivers already have taken advantage of the relief program to clear nearly 160,000 outstanding violation notices at the reduced $3 rate.

Responding to the strong public response to the exiting violation relief program, the Illinois Tollway Board of Directors voted on Thursday, Dec. 17, to continue the program for an additional six months until Jun 30.

The program, launched in June as part of the Tollway’s comprehensive TOLLING 2020 reform package, previously had been scheduled to end on December 30.

“We’re giving our customers more time to take advantage of this program to resolve their outstanding unpaid tolls and fines at a dramatically reduced cost that aligns with the new fees instituted as part of our TOLLING 2020 reforms,” said Illinois Tollway executive director Jose Alvarez. “By extending this program, we’re hopeful that anyone who was unable to take advantage of this relief is able to do so in the coming months.”

Under the violation relief program, the Tollway reduced all outstanding $20 and $50 fines on unpaid tolls to $3 per toll. This reduction is available to any drivers previously sent to collections for outstanding toll violations.

In the first 60 days following the launch in June, the Tollway cleared about 65,000 outstanding violation notices—about seven times the number cleared during a similar time period in a 2009 amnesty program and nearly six times as many notices as were resolved during a 2005 amnesty.

Drivers with unpaid toll violations who do not take advantage of the violation relief program will see their outstanding tolls and original fees reinstated after the relief program ends.

The cost reductions offered by the violation relief program brink the cost of outstanding violation notices in line with the new fee structure in TOLLING 2020, which will continue to assess drivers a $3 fee for each unpaid toll on a passenger vehicle.

Previously, a $20 fine was assessed for each unpaid toll if left unpaid. That penalty escalated by another $50 if the notice remained unpaid for an additional 60 days. For example, a single trip with fire unpaid tolls could cost a passenger vehicle owner more than $100. That same customer now receives an initial notice with only a $15 invoice fee, in addition to unpaid tolls, and will have 60 day to pay before those fees increase.

Drivers can continue to avoid paying any fees by paying any unpaid toll within 14 days.

Customers looking to paid unpaid tolls and violations or wanting to learn more about TOLLING 2020, including the new notice guidelines, should visit the Illinois Tollway’s website at www.illinoistollway.com