Chicago Bears deal could mean more toll road hikes in Indiana

More frequent toll hikes may be in Hoosier commuters’ future as part of the promised renegotiation of the Indiana Toll Road lease ― one of several carrots in the financing package Indiana lawmakers approved to lure the Chicago Bears to Hammond ― per an Indiana Finance Authority resolution that state lawmakers will review on April 16.

Under this agreement, which by law is subject to review by the State Budget Committee, the Indiana Toll Road’s private operator will be able to implement toll increases twice a year, rather than once, in exchange for lump sums totaling $700 million that may be put toward infrastructure or transportation projects in the seven northern Indiana counties near the proposed stadium site.

This was just one element of the state law the General Assembly passed nearly unanimously to incentivize the Chicago Bears to choose Indiana for the NFL team’s next home. Senate Enrolled Act 27 also creates a northwest Indiana stadium authority, a special taxing district around the theoretical stadium, and a litany of hospitality taxes the local governments would need to approve.

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The Indiana Toll Road stretches 157 miles across northern Indiana from border to border. From end to end, the tolls cost just over $16 for the passenger car driver or up to $100 for the largest trucks.

Under the toll road’s current agreement, toll increases of at least 2% are assessed once a year. The amended agreement the Indiana Finance Authority approved on April 14 would change that to twice a year at a rate of at least 1.5%. In both cases, the increases could be higher if the rate of inflation is higher than those thresholds.

In exchange, the toll road operator would pay the state $300 million within a month, another $200 million within a year and another $200 million within two years. This money would be put into a special reserve fund, which can then be used to reimburse those seven northern border counties for infrastructure projects over the next three years, per Senate Enrolled Act 27.

The seven counties that stand to benefit from the infrastructure investments ― Elkhart, LaGrange, Lake, LaPorte, Porter, Steuben and St. Joseph counties ― are connected to Hammond and the approximate proposed stadium site through the South Shore Line, a commuter train to and from Chicago.

Meanwhile, the Bears are still in talks with Illinois lawmakers about a financing deal that would keep the Bears in the originally planned Arlington Heights site. Those lawmakers are in session until the end of May.

Per state law, the finance authority can’t officially enact this agreement until after the state budget committee reviews it. That will happen at 1 p.m. April 16.

Contact IndyStar Statehouse reporter Kayla Dwyer at kdwyer@indystar.com or follow her on X@kayla_dwyer17.