Chicago Skyway Class Action: Did You Overpay in Tolls?

Chicago's iconic Skyway Bridge, a scenic thoroughfare offering a faster route between the city and Indiana, is facing a class action lawsuit, alleging they have been systematically overcharged for years. 

The lawsuit, filed June 18th in Cook County Circuit Court by Wilmette resident Rocky Rowe, accuses the companies operating the Skyway of miscalculating tolls based on inflation, potentially leading to millions of dollars in excess fees collected from motorists.

Skyway Toll Scandal? Frequent User Uncovers Alleged $3 Million Overcharge Scheme

Rowe, a frequent Skyway user for over two decades, became frustrated with what he perceived as "sky-high" tolls.  His frustration sparked an investigation where discrepancies were uncovered in how the Skyway calculated toll increases based on inflation. According to the complaint, the company used an incorrect Gross Domestic Product (GDP) figure, resulting in inflated tolls.

Rowe's attorneys estimate the Skyway may have collected over $3 million in excess tolls since 2019 due to a pattern of overcharging impacting both personal and commercial drivers. Passenger vehicles are said to have been overcharged by 10 cents per trip, while larger vehicles like semi-trucks face an alleged overcharge of $1.20 per trip.

These excess fees have accumulated despite a 2017 agreement allowing for more rapid toll increases. Tolls for passenger cars have risen from $5 in 2017 to $7.20 currently, while tolls for semi-trucks have jumped from $29 to $59.20. However, the lawsuit contends that even with these increases, the Skyway exceeded permitted limits and continued to overcharge drivers.

"It's nickels and dimes to some people. But if I was overcharged a couple hundred bucks over the course of the last two years, multiply that out by how many millions of people are using that Skyway. It's significant," Rowe told NBC Chicago. 

Lawsuit Challenges Skyway's Controversial History and Rising Tolls

The lawsuit also points to the Skyway's ownership history, highlighting the transitions from city ownership to private management and subsequent changes in investors. Originally built and operated by the city of Chicago, the Skyway was leased to a private company, the Skyway Concession Company, in 2005 for nearly a century. Since then, ownership interests in the Skyway have been sold multiple times, generating substantial profits for investors,

Throughout these ownership changes, toll prices have steadily increased due to a lease agreement provision allowing for toll hikes tied to inflation. While annual increases were modest for many years, recent spikes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) - 10.6% in 2023 and 8.8% in 2024 - have enabled more rapid toll increases. However, the lawsuit alleges that even with this provision, the Skyway miscalculated toll increases due to the use of an incorrect GDP figure, unfairly burdening drivers with excessive fees.

In an interview with the Chicago Sun Times, Rowe referred to the ownership change, stating, “It was incredibly shortsighted. I don’t think anybody would argue that it was a ridiculous deal to do in the first place. And then, to find out at the back end that they’re already taking so much, and on top of that, overcharging people — that’s over and above.”

In the Chicago Skyway class action lawsuit, Rowe is seeking to represent millions of drivers who have used the Skyway since at least 2019. The lawsuit requests a court order requiring Skyway operators to recalculate tolls using the correct formula and issue refunds for excess charges, along with interest and attorney fees.

This case could potentially include millions of individuals who have used the Skyway in the past five years, as the lawsuit notes over 20 million trips have been recorded during that period.

Case Details

• Lawsuit: Rowe et al v. Skyway Concession Company LLC et al
• Case Number: 2024CH05712
• Court: Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois

Plaintiffs' Attorneys: 

Kenneth T. Goldstein and Matthew G. Norgard (Krislov & Associates)