Are tolls suspended on Florida roads ahead of Idalia? What to know about driving
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Florida wants to get you moving faster ahead of what’s forecast as a Category 3 hurricane.
Tolls on several roads and bridges across seven counties, including the Sunshine Skyway Bridge over Tampa Bay and a stretch of Florida’s Turnpike, were suspended early Tuesday morning in advance of Hurricane Idalia’s expected Florida landfall. Gov. Ron DeSantis directed the Florida Department of Transportation to lift the tolls.
“As Floridians along the west coast of Florida finalize their evacuation plans for Tropical Storm Idalia, we want to ensure there is no barrier to getting their families to a safe location,” said FDOT Secretary Jared W. Perdue.
Here’s what to know:
Tolls lifted on these Florida roads
Hillsborough County
▪ I-4 Connector
▪ Selmon Expressway (S.R. 618)
▪ Veterans Expressway (S.R. 589)
▪ Suncoast Parkway (S.R. 589)
Citrus, Hernando and Pasco counties
▪ Suncoast Parkway (S.R. 589)
Lake and Sumter counties and portions of Orange County
▪ Turnpike Mainline (I-75 to I-4)
Pinellas County
▪ Pinellas Bayway (S.R. 679)
▪ Sunshine Skyway Bridge (U.S. 19)
READ MORE: Idalia is expected to hit as a Category 3 hurricane. When will Florida airports close?
More lanes opened
The state Department of Transportation says the “maximum amount of lanes possible within construction zones” have been opened to allow people more access in the hurricane zones. The agency says crews are securing work sites and checking drainage.
Emergency equipment
FDOT also loosened weight and size requirements for vehicles transporting emergency equipment and and supplies.
This story was originally published August 29, 2023 at 4:49 AM.
