MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Drivers who take the Sunshine Skyway Bridge every day are concerned about growing traffic delays — especially at the toll booths.

What You Need To Know

  • Drivers say the toll booths are slowing down increasing traffic on the bridge

  • Commuters say they’ve seen an increase in rush hour traffic

  • Drivers using the SunPass lane can use those open lanes to get through, but traffic still has to merge with the other drivers paying cash

  • FDOT says cashless tolling has been successful on other roads  

As traffic getting onto the Skyway Bridge gets busier, Noelle Leverentz says she’s losing time waiting.

“Why are we all stopping every morning at the same spot? It backs up anywhere from 20 minutes to an extra hour of traffic time,” Leverentz said.

Leverentz commutes from Parrish to St. Petersburg several days a week. During morning rush hour, she often sits in traffic on the approach to the bridge on I-275 northbound, both before and after the toll plaza.

Leverentz says it wasn’t always like this, but she’s observed more commuters using the Skyway from Manatee County.

“I do think it’s been getting worse,” Leverentz said. “There’s so much development and construction and new homes that the infrastructure of these roads were designed to keep up with it.”

She also feels the increase in traffic using the Skyway is made worse by the toll plazas.

“Seems that’s where the main breakdown is. Where you could have two lanes consistently going through,” Leverentz said.

Even if drivers have SunPass and use those open lanes to get through, traffic still has to merge with the other drivers paying cash.

So that’s led drivers to ask: Would the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) ever consider removing the toll booths and go cashless, like has been done in other part parts of the state?

Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise (FTE), which is part of FDOT, operates toll systems across the state.

In a statement to Spectrum News, Ivette Ruiz-Paz with FTE said, “We are constantly reviewing and updating our facilities to provide the latest in tolling technology for our customers. Our teams are in the initial stages of studying the possibility of adding tolling enhancements for other facilities throughout the state. It is too early into the process to be able to provide any details.”

Ruiz-Paz added that cashless tolling technology has been successful in other parts of the state.  

Leverentz hopes that means the state may eventually remove the toll plazas at the Skyway.

“Seems like they just could make it a two-lane highway. Do bill by plate. Knock the whole thing down. Ether you have SunPass or they’ll get you,” Leverentz said.

Drivers do get a discount using SunPass on the Skyway. It’s currently $1.16 using SunPass for a two-axle vehicle versus $1.75 using cash.

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