Ohio Turnpike Toll.com

Exit 71 to Exit 140 / 69 miles

Cleveland to Akron Ohio Turnpike toll

A route most people don't actually drive on the Turnpike, because I-77 connects the two cities directly for free. Here is what the Turnpike costs if you do take it, and the specific situations where the toll is worth paying.

Quick answer: The Turnpike from Exit 71 (Cleveland I-480 / I-271) to Exit 140 (Akron I-77) is $5.00 E-ZPass or $7.50 cash for a Class 1 car. But most Cleveland-Akron traffic uses I-77 free, which is faster, shorter, and does not involve a Turnpike toll.

Cost by vehicle class (if you do take the Turnpike)

ClassVehicleE-ZPassCashE-ZPass saving
Class 1Passenger cars, pickups, vans, SUVs (2 axles, under 7'6")$5.00$7.25$2.25
Class 22-axle vehicles over 7'6" height$7.50$11.00$3.50
Class 33-axle vehicles$8.75$12.50$3.75
Class 44-axle vehicles$11.75$15.75$4.00
Class 55-axle commercial vehicles (standard semi-truck)$15.50$19.50$4.00
Class 66-axle vehicles$17.50$22.00$4.50
Class 77+ axle vehicles$20.00$25.00$5.00

69 miles westbound at the 2026 per-mile rates, rounded to the nearest $0.25.

Why I-77 is the default Cleveland-Akron route

Cleveland and Akron are 35 miles apart roughly north-south. I-77 connects them directly, running south from downtown Cleveland (where it meets I-71, I-90 and I-490 in the central interchange) through Independence, Brecksville, Richfield, the Cuyahoga Valley National Park corridor, into Akron. Free, four-to-six lanes throughout, 65-70 mph posted, typical drive time 35 minutes outside rush hour.

The Turnpike route is geometrically a longer detour: west on I-480 from central Cleveland to Exit 71, then 69 miles west on the Turnpike, then south on I-77 from Exit 140 into Akron. The total mileage is roughly twice the I-77 direct route, the toll adds $5 each direction, and the time is at minimum 30 minutes longer. For point-to-point Cleveland-Akron travel the Turnpike is essentially never the right choice.

When the Turnpike route does make sense

Western Cleveland to western Akron / Massillon

If you start in western suburbs (Strongsville, Westlake, North Olmsted) and need to reach Wadsworth, Rittman, Doylestown or Massillon, going via I-71 / I-480 to Turnpike Exit 71 west to Exit 140 or 142 and then south is actually competitive with the I-77 routing.

Avoiding I-77 construction or congestion

When I-77 has major construction (the Cuyahoga Valley stretch has periodic resurfacing projects), or rush-hour gridlock through Independence and downtown Cleveland, the Turnpike can save time even on a longer geographic path.

Continuing further south or west

If your real destination is Canton (south of Akron via I-77) or further west (Toledo, Findlay, Lima), the Turnpike route lets you bypass downtown Cleveland entirely, especially useful with a heavy vehicle.

Commercial freight with toll-deductible costs

For commercial trucks, the toll is a deductible business expense and the time saving plus the avoidance of downtown Cleveland and Akron city-traffic stop-and-go often makes the Turnpike economically rational despite I-77 being free.

The Massillon alternative: Exit 142

Two miles west of Exit 140 sits Exit 142 at SR-21 (Massillon). For Akron destinations on the western side of the city (Norton, Barberton, the city of Massillon itself, the Stark County western suburbs), Exit 142 is often a better Turnpike choice. SR-21 connects directly south into Massillon and from there you can take SR-21 further south to Canton or US-30 east to Akron. The toll difference for the extra 2 Turnpike miles is essentially zero (a few cents after rounding). The advantage is avoiding the I-77 corridor entirely.

FAQ

What's the Ohio Turnpike toll from Cleveland to Akron?+
From Exit 71 (I-480 / I-271) to Exit 140 (I-77 / Akron / Canton) it's $5.00 E-ZPass or $7.50 cash for a passenger car in 2026. The 69-mile westbound trip takes about an hour. But this is rarely the way people actually drive Cleveland to Akron because the free I-77 is more direct.
Why don't most people take the Turnpike from Cleveland to Akron?+
I-77 connects Cleveland and Akron directly, free, in about 35 minutes for the 35-mile drive. The Turnpike requires going west on I-480 to Exit 71, then west on the Turnpike to Exit 140, then south on I-77 into Akron. Total is 69 miles plus toll for what I-77 does for 35 free miles. The only reason to take the Turnpike from Cleveland to Akron is if you start somewhere west of central Cleveland and exit somewhere south of central Akron.
Where is the Akron exit on the Ohio Turnpike?+
Exit 140 (I-77 / Akron / Canton) is the canonical Akron interchange. It is roughly 12 miles north of downtown Akron, requiring a southbound drive on I-77 to reach the city centre. The next interchange west, Exit 142 (SR-21 / Massillon), serves the western Akron suburbs and Massillon area. There is no Turnpike exit directly into central Akron.
When does the Cleveland-Akron Turnpike route make sense?+
When you are travelling between central or western Cleveland (around I-71 or I-77 north of the I-490 split) and southern or western Akron suburbs (Wadsworth, Rittman, Doylestown), or between western Cleveland suburbs and Canton. The Turnpike route via Exit 140 lets you avoid downtown Cleveland and downtown Akron traffic completely. For point-to-point downtown travel, I-77 is faster and free.
Is the toll the same eastbound from Akron to Cleveland?+
Yes, $5.00 E-ZPass / $7.50 cash for the 69 miles. Eastbound versus westbound rate differences only show up on the full 241-mile crossing where the asymmetric plaza placement creates the gap. On a 69-mile partial like Cleveland-to-Akron, the directional difference is at most a few cents and rounding produces identical posted figures.
What's the truck toll Cleveland to Akron via the Turnpike?+
Class 5 (5-axle commercial semi): $15.50 E-ZPass / $19.75 cash. Class 4: $11.75 / $15.75. Class 3: $9.00 / $12.50. Class 2 (RV / box van): $7.50 / $11.00. For commercial freight, the I-77 free alternative is usually preferred unless the toll-saving from the Turnpike's western Cleveland bypass routing outweighs the toll itself.

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