Toll Hike Delayed for Road Upgrades

A proposed toll increase on the San Joaquin Hills toll road will be delayed until road improvements are done.

The toll road’s operations committee approved the 25-cent increase in concept on Tuesday but postponed its implementation.

“To introduce a toll increase at the same time that we’re taking care of asphalt is not customer friendly,” spokesman Paul Glaab said.

The improvement work, scheduled to begin in mid-September and take about 40 days, is designed to reduce the risk of hydroplaning by covering the road with a porous asphalt that reduces slickness.

The new price, which will bring the cost of driving the entire road to $2.25, is necessary to offset lower-than-projected revenue, toll road officials have said.