ORLANDO, Fla. — The I-4 Express lanes have been up and running for nearly a year in Central Florida.
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When they first opened, about 17,000 drivers used them every day.
Photos: Prices to increase for drivers using I-4 Express lanes
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Now officials said the number of drivers has jumped more than 60%, and soon they will have to start paying more.
The boards above the I-4 Express lanes have been flashing the 50-cent price per tolling segment since their opening last February.
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Florida Department of Transportation leaders set this as an introductory rate, but I-4 Express has been well introduced over the last 11 months so now the cost is going up.
In the most recent MetroPlan Orlando meeting, FDOT District 5 Secretary John Tyler explained when I-4 Express was designed, different prices for tolling segments were always part of the plan.
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“The reason is we want to manage that congestion that’s in the express lanes,” Tyler said. “We want to provide a consistently reliable product for folks that choose I-4 express.”
FDOT says more than 28,000 drivers use the express lanes every day, with the heaviest traffic from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Leaders are now planning to roll out variable pricing where the tolls change based on the time of day or day of the week.
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FDOT hasn’t released those details yet.
See more in the video above.
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