ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Drivers will soon have to pay extra to drive on SR-528 Beachline.
The Expressway Authority recently built an additional toll booth to reduce costs for drivers who live nearby, but now, the agency and the state are raising the tolls this summer.
WFTV read a notification letter from state transportation officials to local expressway administrators, saying they want to raise tolls on the 528.
"It's very frustrating. It's not fair to us at all," said resident Penny Daniel.
It's especially frustrating for Wedgefield residents like Daniel because a $22.5 million project that was just completed was supposed to lower what they pay in tolls.
The Expressway Authority built the toll plaza, east of the Dallas Boulevard exit and then lowered tolls at the main plaza near SR-417.
The idea behind the project was to save Wedgefield drivers a quarter on each trip, but at the end of the summer they could be paying a quarter more than they were before.
In the letter, the Florida Department of Transportation said it wants the Expressway Authority to start collecting an extra quarter that would go to FDOT at the main plaza by the end of June.
Plus, the Expressway Authority has its own quarter toll increase planned for the main plaza set to take effect in July.
"We're paying too much already. I don't see why they need to raise them again," said resident Brad Blackfield.
FDOT owns about half of the 53-mile Beachline, and said the hike is part of a statewide increase that's long overdue.
Officials said the Expressway Authority hike is part of a 2009 deal that ties toll increases to inflation.
FDOT's hike would only apply to cash customers, officials said.
The Expressway Authority's increase would apply to everyone, although people with transponders will pay less.
Expressway Authority officials have called on FDOT to explain its increase at their meeting next week.
WFTV
