A crashing website and thousands of E-Z Pass program applicants later, the extended date for the rising toll rate is officially here, as crews race around the state to change electronic message boards and highway toll signs to say $4.00 instead of $2.00.

Director of Tolls for the West Virginia Parkways Authority, Douglas Ratcliff, said the increase is all part of the Governor’s Road to Prosperity Program.

“We needed to figure out a way where we could allow all West Virginians to travel free or as cheap as possible,” Ratcliff said.”So in order to do that, we had to do a traffic and revenue study that indicated we needed to do a rate increase.”

Which makes up for revenue lost by allowing cheap rates on their E-Z Pass programs. After a high number of applicants, the deadline to purchase the most recent ‘3-year for $24’ E-ZPass deal was extended. Although that deal is over, Ratcliff said there are other opportunities to save money each time you drive through a toll.

“Even though the deadline has passed, any state resident and any out of state resident can purchase an E-Z Pass and a transponder,” Ratcliff said. “The only difference is instead of 3 years for $24, the cost now will be $25 per year plus the transponder.”

Some locals and travelers, are not in favor of the increase. Toll operators say they recieved some backlash on the first day of the increase from people paying cash. Which is why Ratcliff recommends the E-Z Pass deal as the best solution over paying cash.

To learn more about the West Virginia Parkways Authority’s E-Z pass deals, visit https://transportation.wv.gov.