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WANE-TV Coverage You Can Count On: Turnpike Tolls
Governor Bob Taft from the Buckeye State has proposed an 18-month reduction in toll prices. He wants to give truck drivers a reason to take the turnpike.

Trucker drivers say that may change their mind about traveling on the 2 lane roads. Harlan Matthes, says “it’s cheaper I save money that way. But if they drop the price I might be out on there too.” Besides price, Ohio has added more incentives to put truckers on the turnpike. The truck speed limit was just increased to 65. Plus Sunoco stations at the service plazas are offering discounts on diesel fuel.

Usually I try and avoid Ohio by routing myself south through Kentucky on I-64 and I-79 or even further south through Tennessee on I-40 and I-81. This time I had to go through Ohio and instead of going around the turnpike, I thought I’d actually take it and see what the new changes were.

I was almost impressed. The speed limit for trucks is 65 mph, to go across the entire state was about $30 and fuel was about a penny cheaper on the turnpike. The 65 mph really makes a difference. In general I hate split speed limits, this really made a big difference in safety and the flow of traffic. The turnpike has fewer on and off ramps then the normal interstate and the ramps that are there are long enough to safely merge. Trucks should be allowed to go with the flow of traffic. Troopers were still out enforcing the law. It wasn’t the dangerous situation the public (press) made it out to be.