State Brings Tolls Back to the First Coast

More than two decades after then-Mayor Tommy Hazouri of Jacksonville led the fight against them, tolls are returning to the First Coast.

On Wednesday, Lt.Gov. Jennifer Carroll, who represented the area when she was in the Florida House, and state Department of Transportation Secretary Ananth Prasad announced the state would start construction of the First Coast Outer Beltway in Clay, Duval and St. Johns counties. The proposed 15-mile road would cost $291 million and rely on tolls for its funding. The state DOT warned residents as early as 2009--before Scott was elected--that a toll road would be going through the area. Tolls would be implemented when construction is completed in either 2015 or 2016.

It was my distinct pleasure in joining Secretary Prasad and the people of Florida in announcing a project that will create the conditions for private-sector job growth and spur the economic engine in Northeast Florida, saidCarroll.

The First Coast Outer Beltway brings a high level of excitement with the accelerated schedule of one of the largest engineering projects in Northeast Florida; it will be the impetus in creating jobs and promoting connectivity in the area, said Prasad.

While there will not be any toll booths, the project will rely on SunPass to generate revenue.

In 1988, Duval County voters backed Hazouris proposals to remove tolls and approved a half-cent sales tax increase for the Jacksonville Transportation Authority. No vote has since been taken to return tolls to Duval County.