ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A driver going 101 mph in the new I-4 Express lanes was one of 77 people issued speeding tickets in the first weekend the toll lanes were open, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The FHP said it issued 77 speeding tickets over the weekend, with one driver clocked at 101 mph in a 60 mph zone. Troopers said there were several drivers caught traveling at 98 or 99 mph.
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According to the troopers, drivers who were stopped said “they thought they could go faster within the express lanes.”
“I know drivers think they’re not really doing anything wrong when you’re speeding a little bit but really the road is designed for a certain speed, and you need to follow that, so if something does go wrong you can recover and hopefully avoid a crash,” Lt. Kim Montes with the FHP said.
The new lanes opened Saturday around 8 a.m. after seven years of construction. Until Thursday, the toll lanes will be free of charge for drivers to allow motorists to adjust to the new roadway and plan routes, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.
These toll lanes do not have a cash or pay-by-plate option, and you must have a transponder to use the toll lanes.
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The following payment transponders will be accepted:
- SunPass
- Peach Pass
- NC Quick Pass
- LeeWay
- E-ZPass
- EPass
Following the free days, FDOT will start charging drivers an introductory toll rate of $0.50 per section. To drive the full 21-mile stretch of the I-4 Express corridor from Kirkman Road to SR-434, it will cost you $3.50 heading eastbound and $3 heading westbound.