Florida's Turnpike Enterprise is looking forward to providing you with the tolling technology of the future. All-electronic open road tolling is scheduled to be in place on the Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike in early 2011, from Milepost 0 to Milepost 47 in Miami-Dade County. The new system will replace the collection of cash at all toll plazas on this stretch of the Turnpike with new electronic payment options.

SunPass customers traveling in Miami-Dade County will see multiple benefits once all-electronic open road tolling goes into effect. With no cash collection or toll booths on the roadways, they will experience a more efficient ride. All-electronic tolling will increase vehicle throughput on the roadway by eliminating the traditional toll plazas. It also will enhance safety by eliminating toll equipment barriers between the motorists stopping to pay cash and those traveling at high speeds through the SunPass lanes. Benefits to the environment are significant with lower vehicle emissions and less fuel consumption.

All-electronic open road tolling promotes a continuous and constant state of traffic flow. Unlike traditional SunPass and cash lanes at a toll plaza, motorists will never have to slow down or stop to pay a toll. Motorists without a SunPass will still be able to travel on the Homestead Extension once a new program called Toll-by-Plate is launched in the coming months. With Toll-by-Plate, the tolling equipment will capture an image of the vehicle's license plate. The registered owner of the vehicle will then be billed for the toll, plus a service charge. As a valued SunPass customer, you will pay the lowest toll rates and no additional fees.

The conversion to all-electronic open road tolling will not be quick or simple. It includes the fabrication and installation of SunPass gantries at each location, for the new overhead toll collection equipment. Additionally, construction includes the removal of existing toll booths and structures, several new toll equipment buildings and modifications, roadway improvements, grading, drainage, signage and pavement markings.

Florida's Turnpike Enterprise plans to break ground in the fall of 2009 with two conversion projects. The first project will revamp the Homestead and Bird Road mainline toll plaza and 17 ramp plazas located between the U.S. 1 and S.R. 836 interchanges. The second project will convert the Okeechobee and Miramar mainline toll plazas, along with the 16 ramp plazas located between the S.R. 836 and County Line Road interchanges.

For more information on all-electronic open road toll collection services:
This November, the Turnpike is holding a statewide electronic meeting you can attend from the comfort of your own home. It is designed to provide information and solicit comments on the new toll collection process. The meeting is in a webinar format, which is a live presentation broadcast over the internet. If you have a computer, internet access and an e-mail account, you can attend from your home, office or favorite coffee shop. If you do not have access to a computer, you can attend from a designated access site at locations around the state. For those who miss the meeting, a video playback recording is also available. The playback will be hosted online to view at your convenience. Public workshop comments for the webinar will remain open for input until December 1, 2009. For more information on the webinar, including registration or to view the playback, click here.