New toll lanes have opened along Interstate 4 (I-4) in central Florida following seven years of construction.
The Florida Department of Transportation opened the toll lanes that run through parts of Orange and Seminole counties on Saturday 26 February.
The US$2.4bn (£1.8bn) project rebuilt 15 major interchanges and constructed and widened 140 bridges. Crews also put up miles of sound walls and created a toll-lane expressway within the median of I-4, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
The project was called I-4 Ultimate because state transportation officials said there will be no further expansions of the corridor running through central Florida.
Thus, I-4 Express – as it is now known – connects Tampa on Florida’s Gulf Coast to the Daytona Beach area on the state’s Atlantic side, cutting through the heart of theme park territory in Orlando.
To encourage drivers to try I-4 Express, there will be no charge to access the managed lanes during the first five days of operations.
From Thursday 03 March, an introductory rate will be set at US$0.50 cents (37p) per tolling segment. Travelling the entire length of I-4 Express will cost US$3.50 (£2.60) eastbound and US$3 (£2.25) westbound during the introductory period.
Vehicles with two axles are allowed on I-4 Express, while vehicles with three or more axles – such as trucks, large recreational vehicles and vehicles pulling trailers – are not allowed unless they are designated emergency vehicles.
You can learn more about the key trends and challenges affecting senior decision-makers who have responsibility for tolling, intelligent transportation systems and road pricing in the USA at the first-ever Road User Charging Conference in Miami, USA on 13-14 June 2022. Click here for more information.
