Crashes down by 3/4 at Fla Tpke Miami toll points following all-electronic conv.

[cpzilliacus]

TOLLROADSnews: Crashes down by three-quarters at Florida Turnpike Miami toll points following all-electronic conversion

Crashes are down drastically at the Miami toll points of Florida's Turnpike since their conversion to all-electronic tolling (AET) February 19 this year. Five former mainline toll plazas (one a split plaza) went completely freeflow and cashless in the conversion. Previously they'd had open road tolling (ORT) through the middle but cash toll booths to the sides of the mainline plazas.

[formulanone]

The remaining question is why are there still crashes for the other 25%? Never mind, it's Florida.

If there's any drawback to electronic tolling, it's getting to a mainline booth with a $10.90 charge, and an ambulance pulls up behind you, lights/sirens ablaze...yes, that toll is waived.

Anyhow, it's somewhat comforting to know there's an added benefit to the SunPass system that increases expediency and actually saves lives.

[Zmapper]

One more reason to switch every toll road and bridge in the nation to Electronic Toll Collection. But noooo, the toll booth unions won't allow that to happen. 

[realjd]

The remaining question is why are there still crashes for the other 25%? Never mind, it's Florida.

If there's any drawback to electronic tolling, it's getting to a mainline booth with a $10.90 charge, and an ambulance pulls up behind you, lights/sirens ablaze...yes, that toll is waived.

Anyhow, it's somewhat comforting to know there's an added benefit to the SunPass system that increases expediency and actually saves lives.

I think it's partly tourists ignoring the "no stopping" signs and trying to figure out where the money goes and partly FDOT's insistence on lowering the speed limit to 55 for no reason even on open road rolls.

[Ace10]

I think it's partly tourists ignoring the "no stopping" signs and trying to figure out where the money goes and partly FDOT's insistence on lowering the speed limit to 55 for no reason even on open road rolls.

I agree. I'm assuming you're talking about the temporary lowering of the speed limit to 55 for just the toll plazas. I can think of at least one toll plaza (SR 429: Western Beltway near Exit 8 ) where the speed limit stays at 65. I think also north of Lake Jesup the speed limit remains the same (65 if I recall, after the construction). OOCEA on their roads (and portions of roads) normally keep the same speed limit through the plaza.

I'm sure FDOT does lower the speed limit in some cases, I'm just not sure where. Do they do this in southern Florida?

[realjd]

I think it's partly tourists ignoring the "no stopping" signs and trying to figure out where the money goes and partly FDOT's insistence on lowering the speed limit to 55 for no reason even on open road rolls.

I agree. I'm assuming you're talking about the temporary lowering of the speed limit to 55 for just the toll plazas. I can think of at least one toll plaza (SR 429: Western Beltway near Exit 8) where the speed limit stays at 65. I think also north of Lake Jesup the speed limit remains the same (65 if I recall, after the construction). OOCEA on their roads (and portions of roads) normally keep the same speed limit through the plaza.

I'm sure FDOT does lower the speed limit in some cases, I'm just not sure where. Do they do this in southern Florida?

Yes. All FDOT toll plazas are 55mph in my experience , even the all electronic ones in the Miami area where the limit is 65 away from the toll gantries.

[Ace10]

Yes. All FDOT toll plazas are 55mph in my experience , even the all electronic ones in the Miami area where the limit is 65 away from the toll gantries.

Thanks for the clarification. FDOT/FTE must do things differently in Central Florida - which doesn't surprise me one bit!

[xcellntbuy]

Toll Plaza 64, the one I tend to use the most often drops the speed limit to 55 mph and it is rarely obeyed.  Most people fly through the open road tolling lanes at 70 mph.