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Higher Tolls To DeSoto Urged

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By RICH SHOPES, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 29, 2007

Going to Fort DeSoto Park? You may need extra cash.
State transportation officials say tolls at the bridge leading to the park, and at two plazas nearby, will need to rise to finance the replacement of two bridges.

If approved, motorists heading to Fort DeSoto will pay $2.50, up from 35 cents, to cross the bridge into the county park. The two plazas, both on State Road 682 between U.S. 19 and St. Pete Beach, will charge $1.25 each, up from 50 cents.

The increases are set for 2009 but aren't final. State transportation officials held a meeting Wednesday at the St. Pete Beach Community Center to discuss the increases, and public hearings are set for February.

Two drawbridges - on S.R. 682 leading to St. Pete Beach and on S.R. 679 to Tierra Verde - are set to be rehabbed in 2012.

The rehab job is $41 million, but the bridges will need further attention later, including possible replacement. Replacing them with two fixed-span bridges would cost $179 million.

"Both of these bridges are 45 years old," said Department of Transportation spokeswoman Marian Scorza.

Meanwhile, it has been at least 20 years since the tolls were increased, she said.

Reporter Rich Shopes can be reached at rshopes @tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7633.

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