Exit 173 to Exit 180 / 7 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 segment between the two cities' interchanges costs, and the situations where it actually matters.

Quick answer: The Turnpike between Exit 173 (Cleveland, I-77) and Exit 180 (Akron, SR-8) is 7 miles and $0.50 E-ZPass or $1.00 cash for a Class 1 car. But most Cleveland-Akron traffic uses I-77 free, which runs directly between the two cities; the Turnpike does not.

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

Class	Vehicle	E-ZPass	Cash	E-ZPass saving
Class 1	Low 2-axle vehicles and all motorcycles	$0.50	$1.00	$0.50
Class 2	Low 3-axle and high 2-axle vehicles	$1.00	$1.25	$0.25
Class 3	Low 4-axle and high 3-axle vehicles	$1.00	$1.50	$0.50
Class 4	Low 5-axle and high 4-axle vehicles	$1.25	$1.75	$0.50
Class 5	Low 6-axle and high 5-axle vehicles	$1.50	$2.00	$0.50
Class 6	High 6-axle vehicles	$2.25	$2.75	$0.50
Class 7	All vehicles with 7 or more axles (90 ft or less in length)	$3.25	$3.75	$0.50
Class 8	All vehicles greater than 90 feet in length	$15.25	$15.75	$0.50

Official 2026 Schedule of Tolls fares for the Exit 173 / Exit 180 pair (7 miles).

Why I-77 is the default Cleveland-Akron route

Cleveland and Akron are roughly 35 miles apart 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, typical drive time 35-40 minutes outside rush hour.

The Turnpike, by contrast, is an east-west road crossing both cities' northern feeder highways seven miles apart. It never points toward Akron from Cleveland. The 7-mile segment between Exit 173 and Exit 180 exists for through-traffic choosing its exit, not as a Cleveland-Akron connector. For point-to-point Cleveland-Akron travel the Turnpike is essentially never the right choice.

When the Turnpike route does make sense

Through-traffic choosing its Akron exit

Coming from Youngstown or Pennsylvania, Exit 180 (SR-8 south) is the natural drop for Hudson, Stow, Cuyahoga Falls and eastern Akron; Exit 173 (I-77 south) for Montrose, Fairlawn and western Akron. From Toledo, the same choice in reverse.

Avoiding I-77 construction or congestion

When I-77 has major construction or rush-hour gridlock through Independence, drivers between the northern suburbs of each metro sometimes hop across on the Turnpike and come down the other feeder (SR-8 or I-77).

Continuing further east or west

If your real destination is Toledo, Youngstown or out of state, the Turnpike is the through-route and the Cleveland/Akron interchanges are simply your on-ramp choice. See the Akron to Toledo and Cleveland to Youngstown pages for those fares.

Commercial freight bypassing the cities

For commercial trucks running the I-80 corridor, the Turnpike avoids downtown Cleveland and Akron entirely, and the toll is a deductible business expense.

FAQ

What's the Ohio Turnpike toll from Cleveland to Akron?+

The Turnpike segment between Exit 173 (I-77 / SR-21, the Cleveland interchange) and Exit 180 (SR-8, the Akron interchange) is just 7 miles and costs $0.50 E-ZPass or $1.00 cash for a passenger car in 2026. But the Turnpike runs east-west between the two cities' northern approaches; actual Cleveland-to-Akron travel goes straight down I-77, free.

Why don't most people take the Turnpike from Cleveland to Akron?+

I-77 connects Cleveland and Akron directly, free, in about 35-40 minutes for the roughly 35-mile drive. The Turnpike is an east-west road that happens to cross both cities' feeder highways; it does not run between them. The Turnpike segment only matters if you are already on the Turnpike and choosing which exit to take.

Where is the Akron exit on the Ohio Turnpike?+

Exit 180 (SR-8, signed Akron) near Boston Heights is the official Akron interchange, roughly 12 miles north of downtown; SR-8 runs south into the city as a freeway. Exit 173 (I-77 / SR-21, signed Cleveland) also reaches Akron via I-77 south. There is no Turnpike exit directly into central Akron.

When does the Turnpike matter for Cleveland-Akron area travel?+

When one end of your trip is somewhere else on the Turnpike corridor. Example: coming from Youngstown or Pennsylvania, you choose Exit 180 (SR-8 south) for eastern Akron or Exit 173 (I-77 south) for western Akron and Montrose. Coming from Toledo, the same pair in reverse. For point-to-point Cleveland-Akron travel, I-77 is faster and free.

Is the toll the same eastbound and westbound?+

Yes. Within the ticketed section the official fare matrix is symmetric: Exit 173 to Exit 180 is $0.50 E-ZPass / $1.00 cash in either direction. Directional differences only appear on trips crossing the Eastgate barrier near Pennsylvania, which charges westbound traffic only.

What's the truck toll between the Cleveland and Akron exits?+

Class 5 (5-axle commercial semi): $1.50 E-ZPass / $2.00 cash for the 7-mile segment. Class 3: $1.00 / $1.50. Class 2: $1.00 / $1.25. Through-freight pays the fare as part of a longer ticketed trip rather than as a stand-alone charge.

Related routes and pages