Toll and parking rate hikes go into effect

January 2, 2012 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- Drivers fresh off ringing in the new year will find area tollways, parking garages and meters ringing up higher rates.

Tollway motorists will pay nearly twice as much even if they have an I-PASS. The standard toll increases by 35 cents, 70 cents if you are paying in cash, which has some motorists thinking about trimming their trips into the city.

"We're still going to continue to come, but it's just, you know, somebody else trying to take a little bit more out of the little we have, so what are you going to do?" said Mike DeHaven.

Starting Monday, parking meters in the Loop go up from about $5 to $5.75 an hour. Other downtown rates increase by 50 cents to $3.75 an hour and neighborhood rates rise by 25 cents to $1.75 an hour.

Parking in a downtown garage jumped $2 more a day during the week on top of the existing $3 a day city parking tax that Mayor Rahm Emanuel instituted to help pay for CTA improvement projects. Weekly and monthly garage parkers will also pay more.

Get more Local »

local, jessica d'onofrio

• Comment Now
• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•