I can’t count how many times I’ve cruised onto the ramp to the Selmon Crosstown and immediately thought about slamming my car in reverse and going back out the way I came in. This usually comes after the realization that I don’t have any cash or change on me.
The Selmon Crosstown may be the easiest way to get from Gandy to Brandon and anywhere in between, but unless you have a SunPass or a car stacked with loose change, your Crosstown shortcut can quickly turn into the fastest way to a headache.
Toll booths on the Crosstown almost always except cash only and usually don’t have a live toll booth collector. So if you don’t have a SunPass or the exact amount of change, you are stuck.
It isn’t unusual to see the same thing happen to drivers everyday. Many times I’ve seen a flustered driver, rummaging through their car searching for change as the cars behind them slowly form a longer and longer line. This situation usually ends when one of the impatient drivers in line walks up and throws in the final change for the stuck driver.
So I’m happy to hear that the City is finally taking a step toward rectifying this problem. Starting Saturday morning (September 18 @ 4:30 AM), drivers won’t need to stop at the toll booths along the Crosstown anymore.
New toll booth technology will take pictures of the license plates of cars without SunPasses and bill them in the mail. So now cars with SunPasses or without can cruise through the tolls without a second thought or spare change.
The Tampa Hillsborough County Expressway Authority says the switch will provide cost savings, time savings, convenience, and safety, in addition to being more environmentally friendly. But to me it sounds like a great solution to all the traffic stuck without “Exact Change Only.”
If you think it’s time to buy a SunPass, they can be purchased at Publix, CVS or AAA locations. SunPass Minis cost $4.99, and once the account is activated with $10, it is credited for $4.99 refunding the cost of the sticker. So buying one may just be easier than worrying about being billed in the mail.
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