I see on the toll calculator that the DE-1 turnpike is a reasonable $2 on weekdays, but is an unreasonable $6 on weekends. Unless you can take advantage of the Frequent User Plan which is $1.00 and $2.00 respectively.
Agreed that $6 is unreasonable, and $2 is reasonable. It reminds of Route 168 in Chesapeake, Virginia, the toll was originally $2 all time. It was increased to $3 off-peak, and now $8 during weekends, one-way. In 2020, that toll will go up a dollar for both, $4 off-peak, $9 peak. Outrageous tolls here, just to travel 6 miles, and you only get to do 55 MPH. The shunpiking route is a slightly lower 45 MPH, and carries double the traffic as the toll road. It's funny, that road cost $120 million to build in 2001, and has collected $150 million already. Tolls are set to continue until 2051... which begs the question, why?
I seriously, seriously question the notion that it has collected $150 million.
Regular users get a major break, the Chesapeake Expressway Discount Member Rate for 2-axle vehicles is $0.75 on every day of the week.
I created this using documents from Chesapeake Expressway's annual collection reports. It documents toll collection amounts from each year. As of May 2018, it adds up to $148,596,028. The original project cost $116,000,000, as per your article on the Expressway (
http://www.roadstothefuture.com/VA168_Chesa_Expwy.html)

The toll was supposed to paid off by 2032, or sooner if significant revenue was generated (as you can see with the numbers, them hiking the peak toll accelerated the revenue generation). It's 13 years before 2032, and revenue has exceeded expectations, and the road is fully paid off. The tolls need to come off in 2019, not this now 2051 year.
As for the discounted toll, I agree with it, and if I could use the toll road, I would pay the discounted toll. The problem is, I commute on Battlefield Blvd daily (the parallel road) and it is heavy on traffic. Daily 2 mile backups because of one traffic light. You hop on the expressway (I've done it before), and it is practically empty, only a few group of cars here and there, even at rush hour.