Aug 1, 2008 7:36 pm US/Eastern
Transportation Sec. Gets Ride On I-95 Express Lane
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
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Brighter orange delineator poles were placed to separate the express lanes on I-95, but some drivers are still taking on some dangerous driving. Here a gray Range Rover can be seen cutting in front of another Range Rover, barely missing the delineators.
CBS
Commuting in South Florida is no easy task and can cause plenty of highway headaches. Now the nation's top transportation official is on the road in Miami to see it firsthand and talk about ways to make it better.
Transportation Secretary Mary Peters is in town to talk about steps being taken to reduce traffic tie ups. She says she wants to make it easier for cities like Miami to fight traffic and improve transit options.
While in the city, Peters took a look at the new express toll lanes on Interstate 95.
The new lanes were designed to relieve congestion and enhance mass transit between Miami and the Golden Glades Interchange, but the first phase of the $260 million project has been met with lots of confusion and serious accidents.
The accidents were caused by drivers who were weaving in and out of the Express Lanes by squeezing through delineator poles, when they realized they were in the wrong lanes. The Department of Transportation has added more delineators and placed them closer together, in order to prevent drivers from making these illegal maneuvers.
Tips To Remember In The I-95 Express Lanes:
- Once you enter the new Express Lanes, you cannot exit until the end and you cannot cut through the lane markers (delineators) to break out before Golden Glades.
- If you find yourself in the Express Lanes by accident, stay calm and continue driving to the Golden Glades Interchange.
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Do not stop at any time whether in the general purpose or Express Lanes.
- Weaving in and out of the Express Lanes is illegal. Drivers who do could cause crashes and will be subject to fines and points on their licenses.
- If you are involved in an accident or experience a car breakdown in the Express Lanes, pull to the left shoulder if you are able and dial *FHP (*347) on your cellphone. An operator will assist you and dispatch help. Wait in your vehicle with the doors locked. Do not stand behind your car or next to the lane of moving traffic.
For more information about the I-95 Express lanes, just go to
http://www.95express.com/index.html
Tolls have not yet started on the I-95 Express Lanes, but they are expected to begin some time in August. The fee for using the lanes will
fluctuate from 25 cents to $2.50 based on traffic volume.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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