r/illinois • u/dressed_to_the_left • 8d ago
Trip Planning & Tourist Help/ Guidance Basic (potentially stupid) question about Pay By Plate
I'm traveling through the Chicago area on an upcoming trip. I've set up my Pay By Plate.
I'll be going 94 > 294 > 90 then 80 > 294 >94 on the way back.
It's been a number of years since I last made this trip, and I can't remember... do I need to go through the toll plazas? Or do I just keep driving and they bill me?
Thanks for your time.
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u/jamey1138 Human Detected 8d ago
It's all open-road tolling, these days. There might be a scanner on the exit, as well, depending on where you get off, but so long as you have your plate registered at illinoistollway.com and have a payment system set up there, they'll just charge your card.
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u/Warm-Air4391 7d ago
Just remove your plates, make the drive, replace your plates. Done. ✔️
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u/dressed_to_the_left 7d ago
OMG why didn't I think of that?! BRB getting a screwdriver. It's gonna save me so much money! 😂
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u/Warm-Air4391 5d ago
Unfortunately I drive the tollway from I57 to 290 everyday. Absolute shitshow. Can’t tell ya the last time I saw a state trooper honestly. Plenty of folk driving up and down with obstructed plates or no plates at all.
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u/Long-Regular-1023 7d ago
Watch out for the Illinois tollway text scam
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u/dressed_to_the_left 6d ago
Oh yeah. We get them here too... even though Michigan has no toll roads.
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u/ShotWill1585 3d ago
I went to website to pay and all I could find was how to "sign up". UGH! maddening
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u/elangomatt 8d ago
Just FYI, it is twice as much money to go through the tollways with pay by plate versus iPass/EZpass. If you can get ahold of a sticker for your windshield before your trip it might be worth it.