JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Florida Department of Transportation began collecting tolls Saturday on the First Coast Expressway. It’s the second toll road to open in Northeast Florida this year.
The expressway -- also known as State Road 23 -- currently connects I-10 in Duval County to Blanding Boulevard in Clay County. Eventually, it will run through Middleburg and Green Cove Springs -- and end at I-95 in St Johns County.
A SunPass will come in handy if this is part of your commute because there are no toll booths to pay cash. If you don’t have one, a picture of your license plate will be taken and you’ll get a bill in the mail.
Unlike the new express lanes on I-295, the First Coast Expressway will use toll by plate however, there is a $2.50 monthly administrative fee. You can avoid that fee with a SunPass, which you can get at Publix, CVS, Walgreens or online. Users will also pay a lower rate.
The expressway will be free from I-10 to New World Avenue. How much you pay depends on where to exit.
This section of toll road is just the first part of a much larger project. Phase 2, which will complete the route through Clay County, began this past spring. Construction on Phase 3, which includes a new bridge over the St. Johns River, is expected to begin in 2023.
