twina49

In three months I'll be heading to Orlando for a business trip for two days at various locations in Disney World (I've coordinated the college program through our university for three years and this will be my first time of checking out where the students live, how they get to work, sit in on their classes, etc. - it will help when I talk to the students thinking about going into the program, as well as their often nervous parents, if I can actually say I've been there). I know - tough job, but somebody has to do it!

After Disney, we'll be driving to Anna Maria Island for a personal mini-vacation, then two days later to Tampa to fly home. Other than bridge tolls, are there any of the toll roads without toll booths that I will be traveling on? I did a Mapquest of the route and it doesn't look as if there are, but I'm not sure. I can pay the pass at the car rental (Dollar), but don't want to if I don't have to. Thanks!

OO

I-4 to Tampa free. I-275 S to Bradenton free with the exception of the toll over the Skyway Bridge. Free rest of the way. Just one toll coming and going: the Sunshine Skyway, and it has a toll booth. Not sure where you will be staying in Orlando...there are some toll roads around there, but you can avoid them, and any I've been on have toll booths.

AAFrequentFlyer

What OO posted is very much correct, but in Tampa, the new ST618 (Lee Roy Salmon Expressway) is a toll booth free toll road. We did not know about it until we got a bill in a mail. It had a picture of our car and our license plate. It was just a charge for the use of the road, not any penalties as long as we paid within certain time. It is one of the first all electronic toll roads in the state and maybe even the nation.

AAFrequentFlyer

Sorry - Not ST618, but SR618

Here is a link to the map

http://www.tampa-xway.com/images/edi...02011-2012.jpg

OO

There's no need to get on the Lee Roy Selmon (what a great guy by the way!), which has always been toll, (though I still know it as the Crosstown Xway). I-4 leads directly into 275 and you stay on that across the Skyway. Coming back to TPA, it's 275 practically into the airport terminal.

I hope the terminal is where you'll be dropping off your car twina. It is so convenient--get out and walk right into the terminal, but you need to check on the drop-off point. Airport is far preferable to off airport locations!

AAFrequentFlyer

I know it was always a toll road, but the "new" road adjacent to the old one is toll booth less, so unless you know it, you may be in for a shock when you get a bill in the mail. That's all I was trying to say.

AAFrequentFlyer

I just looked at our bill.

It states the following:

"Thanks for using the Selmon Expressway, Florida's first all-electronic Highway. Please pay the charges for your toll transactions by due date to avoid any additional fees or violation penalties."

OO

Rethinking the routing to AMI, it's quicker to take I-75 south from 4, rather than 275. 275 is prettier I think, with the Howard Frankland Bridge, then the gorgeous views of water over the long Skyway Bridge, but it's about 20 minutes longer, and you'll see those same gorgeous views when you make the return trip to TPA. Still, no tolls other than the bridge no matter which way you go.

One word of caution, if you have a flight near rush hour timeframe, the Howard Frankland Bridge (I-275 across Tampa Bay) can back up at rush hour going north into Tampa. If you will be hitting the Howard Frankland anywhere from about 4 PM-ish on, allow yourself some extra time.

twina49

Thanks for the replies!

OO - my flight from Tampa leaves at 3:30 p.m., so I should be okay, as I plan to be at the airport around 1 p.m.

twina49

I should mention that we plan to be at the airport by 1 p.m. or even a little earlier, as my sister will fly home at 2:30, while I leave at 3:30.