Do you enjoy using the I-4 Express lane to get a place to go to central Florida? Starting on Monday, you can pay higher tolls when using them to travel around the area, but the cost depends on when you go.
The Florida Department of Transport said in a news release that dynamic tolls will be launched via Orange and Seminole Counties on the 21-mile Express Lane along the interstate.
The concept is pretty basic. High traffic means high tolls, low traffic means low tolls.
FDOT said drivers should expect to pay their highest fees during their peak commute hours from 6am to 9pm to downtown Orlando. However, based on traffic conditions, Express Lane prices fluctuate throughout the day. The costs will vary, just like you do now, depending on how far you are.
The overhead electronic sign indicates destination and current toll charges, the agency said. Drivers will not be charged more than the toll shown on the sign when handed over. If the toll changes after passing the sign, the driver will pay a lower amount.
FDOT said the lanes are always assumed to have dynamic tolls. The agency said the goal was to prevent crowds and maintain reliable travel times with the goal of “keeping up at least 50 miles of cars running.”
The agency said nearly 50 million drivers recorded using lanes since traffic began in February 2022 should be viewed as an improvement.
According to FDOT, representatives did not respond to requests for comment on dynamic pricing, but tolls are not expected to rise significantly.
The agency said the use of high-speed lanes has made the interstate safer.
FDOT data shows that vehicle collisions have decreased by 42% since lanes were opened, with moving speeds of typical used lanes averaged 5 mph in the morning and 8 mph in pm. Additionally, lane blocking incidents decreased by 58% over the time Express Lanes was in use.
That data saves time even for drivers in typical lanes. This is about four minutes or more since the introduction of Express Lane.
And Orlando is not the only region in the state with Express Lanes and dynamic tolls.
According to the Miami Herald, South Florida Interstate 95 uses it at a rate of up to 50 cents, but it usually ranges between $1.50 and $3.50. Tolls can skyrocket during rush hour. The Herald recently saw up to $11 in tolls from Broward to Miami’s State Route 836.
