Jul 12, 2008 12:50 pm US/Eastern
Northbound I-95 Bedlam
Reconfigured Express Lanes Will Become Toll Lanes Later This Summer
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
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I-95 Express Lanes In Miami
CBS
Drivers are urged to use extra caution this weekend when approaching the recently restriped and newly reconfigured express lane area on northbound I-95 in Miami-Dade County.
Friday marked the first day the new lanes were defined with plastic candlesticks installed that separate the soon-to-be priced express lanes from the four ''free'' general-purpose lanes.
Drivers could be seen over and over jumping in and out of new express lanes.
By seven o'clock in the morning, already a plastic stick in the road was ripped right out of the ground by an SUV flipping over.
"On an ordinary day, we'll have six incidents on the average that will actually block lanes over a 24-hour period, Lt. Pat Santangelo of the Florida Highway Patrol told
CBS4 Reporter David Sutta. He added, "We exceeded that probably about noon time today."
Even though the tolls are not being charged yet, anyone who wants to exit northbound I-95 anywhere between downtown Miami and the Golden Glades must use the local lanes and stay out of the express area.
FHP claims to have already had its hands full running from accident to accident as I-95 "express" has no exits between 836 and the Golden Glades Interchange, and drivers had no idea.
"Once you get in those express lanes you cannot get out," added Lt. Santangelo. "The problem we've been having: people that are in the express lanes, that were in there the day before. today realized they can't get out."
"95 Express" is the state's attempt to add toll lanes on I-95, freeing up congestion for those willing to pay. Already, this express test has proven to be a crash corridor.
When the tolls go into effect later this summer, anyone who drives into the lanes midstream, instead of at a designated entry point with SunPass toll readers, will be risking a hefty fine -- starting at $100 per violation.
On a typical weekday, as many as 300,000 vehicles use I-95 near the Golden Glades.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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