I-95 Express Lanes Toll Going Up

FT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) - Drivers who like to use the express lanes on I-95 to zip past traffic in the regular lanes will soon have to pay a little more for the privilege.

By mid-February or early March, the maximum toll rate is being increased from $1 per mile to $1.50 per mile, according to The Sun-Sentinel. But that's not the only increase. The minimum toll is going up from 25 cents a mile to 50 cents.

During the worst rush hours, drivers in the express lanes will shell out $10.50 to drive the seven mile stretch from the Golden Glades to I-395.  The current maximum is $7.

So why the increase?

The object of the express lanes is to keep traffic moving quickly. Tolls fluctuate depending on demand. The heavier the traffic, the higher the price. By increasing the toll, transportation officials think fewer people them or opt to drive at a less congested time.

But this new increase may not be the last. According to the paper, the state plans to raise tolls to $2 per mile if the new maximum rate is reached on 45 days during a six-month period.