Released documents show trucks would pay 54 cents per mile under I-70 tolling pilot in Indiana

Recently released documents show how officials in Indiana plan on implementing tolls along I-70 in order to pay for the reconstruction of the interstate.

Officials recently released Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) application documents that were submitted to the federal government last fall to obtain approval for adding tolls to I-70 as a pilot program. As part of the pilot, INDOT would “operate, maintain, reconstruct and rehabilitate the I-70 corridor with toll revenue.”

How Would I-70 Tolling Work?

The tolls would pay to widen I-70 from four to at least six lanes for the entire length of the interstate in Indiana.

According to the proposal, tolling would run the full length of I-70, from state line to state line, using open road tolling so drivers can pay electronically.

The toll rate proposed in the documents is ten cents per mile for passenger vehicles and 54 cents per mile for trucks. To travel the entire length of I-70 in Indiana, large trucks would pay $84.25.

INDOT said drivers who do not want to pay the toll have the option of using other routes like U.S. 40.

Why The Push For Tolls On Indiana’s I-70?

In the documents, officials say that tolls are needed on I-70 due to severe congestion, which is hampering the movement of freight by truck in several parts of Indiana.

“Reconstructing and rehabilitating I-70 for the current and future needs of both Indiana’s and the nation’s industrial and manufacturing base is critically necessary. In this context, set forth below is our application to reconstruct and rehabilitate I-70. This analysis demonstrates that the facility cannot be improved to meet current and future needs of Hoosiers, interstate travelers and businesses that rely on this asset without toll revenues,” INDOT said.

INDOT said that House Enrolled Act 1461, which was signed into law on May 1, 2025, gives it the authority to implement the pilot.

Governor Mike Braun told the Indiana Capital Chronicle that there has been no response from the Federal Highway Administration on the I-70 tolling proposal as of March 9.