Montreal to San Fran questions!

[Brian_B]

Hi all!

I'm new here and I'm planning a summer road trip to SF from Montreal. I'm probably going to ask a bunch of questions over the next little while but I decided to start here (I'm rather inexperienced as a roadtripper): How many toll routes are there in America and how much $$$ should I set away for them?

I've never been on a toll highway so I really don't know what to expect. Are there people working booths or do you HAVE to have small change on you in order to drive on? I know this sounds like a stupid Q but, like I said, I have no experience here so any help at all would be much appreciated!

Thanks in advance!
Brian

[Quebec Gen]

Brian,

the toll system seems to be more common in the east (NY, MA, FL, ME, etc.), you won't see many toll roads if you travel west except maybe if you go through Oklahoma. There area probably other western toll roads that I don't know about though. Sometimes you may have to pay a small fee to cross bridges (like the Amabassador between Windsor, Ont and Detroit, MI) and stuff like that. I recommend you always have a little amount of money on you anyway, wether it's change or bills, usually toll booths have "exact change" lanes and "any vehicle" lanes for those who don't have the exact change or have an EZ pass. I'm planning to hit San Fran too this spring and I am from Montreal as well so I'll follow this thread closely:o) Don't worry about the lack of driving experience, you just need to go at your own pace and be more careful.

Have a great day!

Gen

[AZBuck]

Interestingly, the most direct route between Montréal and San Francisco involves almost no tolls. Other than the occasional bridge, there is just a short 5 mile stretch of the Tri-State Tollway (I-80) south of Chicago that will hit you up for anything. Just have a few quarters (American, of course) handy for the exact change lanes. If, on the other hand, you decide to come south of Lakes Ontario and Erie on I-90 - the New York State Thruway, Ohio Turnpike, and Indiana Toll Road, these roads work by giving you a card when you get on that lists where you entered the highway. You then present the card when you get off and pay the appropriate toll. Exact change is not required. If you go this route, your tolls would currently be (assuming you enter the New York State Thruway at Syracuse and follow I-90 to Chicago):
NY: $6.40
OH: $5.45
IN: $4.15
IL: as above, one toll booth

AZBuck

[Brian_B]

Thanks guys! That's perfect- I think I'm more than comfortable with my toll highway knowledge now! :)

Brian