TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Sunpass users to get own parkway lane

ADVERTISEMENT

By MICHAEL D. BATES, Hernando Today

Published: November 23, 2007

Updated: 11/22/2007 08:11 pm

BROOKSVILLE - SunPass users: Help is on the way to make your drive easier and faster.

For months, motorists who frequent the Suncoast Parkway interchange at State Road 50 or County Line Road had to queue up in one line to pay the quarter toll. That frustrated Sunpass electronic patrons who had to sometimes wait while their nontransponder counterparts had to fish for change to throw into the coin bucket.

It led to longer lines, especially at rush hour.

But construction is ready to begin that will open a separate lane for SunPass users, allowing them to bypass coin patrons.

Joanne Hurley, community relations coordinator for Florida's Turnpike, said it should take at least six to eight seeks to finish the conversion process. It may take longer, depending on whether the contractor's work schedule.

The $1.25 million project will affect eight interchanges throughout the length of the Suncoast Parkway in Hernando and Pasco counties and the Veterans Expressway in Hillsborough County.

It's not as simple as some may think.

The contractor will have to tear up existing pavement, install new equipment, new guard rails and erect a new canopy.

The end result should please SunPass users, who make up about 70 percent of the Parkway users during peak rush hour times, Hurley said.

But until work is finished, prepare for congestion and longer backups at those interchanges.

"People will have to allow for longer time to go through those ramps while construction is ongoing," she said.
Hurley stressed that, once the new toll facilities at the interchanges are complete, there will be no turnpike personnel present.

"Motorists at that time with either have to have exact change of SunPass," she said.

Reporter Michael D. Bates can be reached at 352-544-5290 or mbates@hernandotoday.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT