TL;DR
An analysis from Chicago reports that tolling is becoming more common in the US, with the decline in petrol-tax revenue identified as a key driver. The piece highlights the Skyway — a tolled bridge linking Chicago to Indiana that charges $7.80 — as an example of this financial shift.
What happened
The Economist published a December 2025 piece from Chicago documenting a rise in tolling across the United States, attributing the trend in part to falling petrol-tax receipts. The article uses the Skyway south of Chicago as a concrete example: drivers pay $7.80 to cross a long span over the Calumet River that links the city to the Indiana border. The author frames the proliferation of tolls as a form of financial engineering, suggesting governments and agencies are increasingly turning to user charges to raise transport revenue. Beyond the Skyway example, the report argues that reduced income from fuel levies has played a central role in prompting a broader shift toward toll-funded and tolled infrastructure projects.
Why it matters
- Signals a funding shift: declining petrol-tax revenue is identified as prompting greater reliance on tolls and user fees.
- Direct costs for drivers: growing tolling could increase out-of-pocket travel expenses for commuters and freight operators.
- Infrastructure finance change: more projects may be structured around toll income rather than general taxation.
- Regional connectivity: tolled links such as the Skyway affect cross-border travel and local commuting patterns.
Key facts
- Source: The Economist article published Dec 18, 2025, datelined Chicago.
- Headline theme: toll roads are spreading in America; the decline of petrol taxes is blamed.
- Example cited: the Skyway south of Chicago charges $7.80 to cross.
- The Skyway spans the Calumet River and connects Chicago to the Indiana border.
- The Skyway is described as the longest bridge in the midwestern United States in the article.
- The piece characterises the trend as a form of financial engineering by authorities.
What to watch next
- Whether additional states or jurisdictions expand tolling programs in response to falling petrol-tax receipts — not confirmed in the source
- Legislative or policy reactions at state and federal levels aimed at replacing or supplementing petrol-tax revenue — not confirmed in the source
- Distributional effects of wider tolling on commuters, low-income drivers and freight operators — not confirmed in the source
Quick glossary
- Toll road: A roadway or bridge where drivers pay a fee to use all or part of the facility; fees help fund construction, maintenance or operation.
- Petrol tax: A tax applied to gasoline (petrol) sales that traditionally contributes to funding road construction and upkeep.
- Skyway: A named tolled bridge south of Chicago mentioned in the article; cited as charging $7.80 to cross and linking to Indiana.
- User fee: A charge levied directly on users of a service or facility, such as tolls for roads or bridges.
Reader FAQ
Why are toll roads becoming more common?
The article links the spread of tolls to a decline in petrol-tax revenues, which has prompted greater reliance on tolling as a funding source.
How much does it cost to cross the Skyway mentioned in the article?
The piece states the toll to cross the Skyway is $7.80.
Is the shift to tolls nationwide or limited to certain regions?
The article says toll roads are spreading in America but does not provide a comprehensive breakdown of geographic extent.
Are alternatives to tolling discussed?
Not confirmed in the source.
United States | Turnspike Toll roads are spreading in America The decline of petrol taxes is to blame Share The price of freedomphotograph: alamy Dec 18th 2025 | chicago |…
Sources
- Toll roads are spreading in America
- Road Taxes and Funding by State, 2025
- Highway and Road Expenditures
- Business may have picked up in tolling area, economic …
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