Higher Tolls for SunPass Users

SunPass, along with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), have decided to make some changes to the way South Floridians use their SunPass.

The first round of major changes came about in February of this year when the Florida Turnpike's Homestead Extension went "coinless", requiring all drivers to purchase a SunPass or receive a monthly bill for their tolls with an added service charge of $2.50.

The second wave of changes was brought about Thursday when the Senate passed legislation which would remove the typical 25 cent discount SunPass users previously enjoyed.

There are also plans to ease congestion on parts of SR-7/US-441 in Broward and Palm Beach Counties by adding toll HOV lanes.

Watch the video for more information:

I-595 Expansion: More Lanes, Safer Ramps, New Jobs

Construction to expand Interstate 595 and accomodate traffic growth will begin this Summer. This will be the most expensive road project in Florida's history and will create thousands of construction jobs while pumping $1 million into Florida's economy daily. 

The completed I-595 is expected to be unveiled by 2014. It will feature express lanes for long distance commuters, new ramps and a safer Florida's Turnpike interchange. 

The construction is in response to an increased traffic flow through the area which worsens backups and hazards that lead to accidents.

One of the newest additions to 595 are the express lanes. These are similar to the express lanes found on I-95 in Miami in that SunPass customers can pay a toll to bypass traffic during congested times. The toll revenue will be used to fund the project. 

One of the most needed results of this project is the number of local jobs which will be created. For every $1 billion spent on non-residential construction in Florida, 23,000 jobs are created.