TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

SunPass-Only Lane Coming To Suncoast Parkway

ADVERTISEMENT

By MICHAEL D. BATES, Hernando Today

Published: November 26, 2007

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

For months, motorists who frequent the Suncoast Parkway interchange at State Road 50 or County Line Road had to queue in one line to pay the quarter toll. That frustrated SunPass patrons, who sometimes had to wait while other motorists fished for change to throw into the coin bucket.

It led to longer lines, especially at rush hour.

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

Joanne Hurley, community relations coordinator for Florida's Turnpike, said the conversion process should take six to eight weeks. However, it may take longer, depending on the contractor's work schedule.

The $1.25 million project will affect eight interchanges along 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 and guardrails, and erect a new canopy.

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

But, until the work is finished, motorists should prepare for congestion and longer backups.

"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, will either have to have exact change or SunPass," she said.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT