Nov 10, 2007 9:52 pm US/Eastern
SB Turnpike Lanes At Bird Road Next To Shutdown
Crews are converting SunPass lanes to Open Road Tolling System
Southbound Tolls Lifted From 3 - 8:00 p.m. Nov. 12 - 16th
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
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Expected rush-hour traffic backups failed to materialize after Florida's Turnpike officials shut down 4 northbound lanes to re-build the Bird Road Toll Plaza
CBS
First it was the northbound lanes, now the southbound lanes of the Bird Road toll plaza on Florida's turnpike will be closed beginning this weekend due to ongoing construction.
Four of the ten toll lanes will be closed 24 hours a day beginning Saturday evening Nov., 10th, through Friday, November 16th as work crews continue the demolition and reconstruction work on the existing SunPass-only lanes.
When the northbound lanes were closed on Wednesday Nov. 7th, the state predicted traffic horrors consisting of 10-mile long backups for morning rush hour. They warned commuters to plan on an extra hour to get to work, however, the delays never developed thanks in part to a state decision to lift rush-hour northbound tolls.
That decision also extends to the southbound tolls during the afternoon/evening peak hours, from 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. weekdays.
While the toll suspensions will help improve traffic flow, area drivers are being asked to plan for a longer commute when heading southbound through the Bird Road toll plaza.
When the project is complete, SunPass holders will be to breeze through the plaza at highway speeds beneath the new SunPass gantry that has already been installed.
Cash customers will continue to pay at the remaining tollbooths, which will be separated from the SunPass-only express lanes by a concrete barrier.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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