Data shows shorter commutes, higher speeds after opening of I-4 Express
Drivers have taken more than 27 million trips in the I-4 Express toll lanes since they opened two years ago on Feb. 26, 2022.
WESH 2 Investigates has joined people on their daily commutes and talked with dozens of other drivers.
Most of them told WESH they like I-4 Express and said it's worth the money.
“I think it's great. I get to work faster," driver Ruth Ann Prendergast said.
“I use them constantly," driver Robin Cohen said.
“I get to work in like 19 minutes. It's pretty quick," driver Selena Ducot said.
“I-4 Ultimate has transformed the way that we travel through central Florida," said Cynthia Lane of the Florida Department of Transportation’s District 5 office.
Following a public records request, Lane provided WESH 2 Investigates with figures that indicate the toll lanes and overhauled general use or "free" lanes are cutting drive times.
Compared to 2019, 2023 shows average travel time savings in all lanes of roughly four minutes eastbound and five minutes westbound.
The average was 27.9 minutes in 2019 westbound.
Now, it's 22.8 minutes.
Eastbound travel has dropped from slightly more than 27 minutes in 2019 to about 23 minutes.
That may be partly due to higher average travel speeds.
The 2019 average speed in the general use lanes of about 52 mph is now up to more than 58 mph as of the end of last year.
“Really, for our commuters, that adds up to a great savings of about three hours per month, if you look at it that way," Lane said.
Previous studies have shown that I-4 between Daytona and Tampa is one of the most dangerous interstates in the nation.
WESH 2 Investigates previously reported that the first 32 months of I-4 reconstruction saw a 14% increase in crashes compared to the 32 months before construction began in February 2015 along the 21-mile I-4 Ultimate route.
But new figures from FDOT show crashes along the rebuilt segment are down more than 40%, and lane-blocking incidents are down 63% compared to five years ago.
“Also, with the decrease in lane-blocking incidents that we are seeing, that helps us avoid secondary crashes that could occur if we did have a crash," Lane said.
But two years after the opening of the I-4 express lanes, there is no dynamic tolling, which means charging you more when traffic is heavy and less when it's light.
The current toll cost for a full 21-mile trip of $3.50 eastbound and $3 westbound would go up, or, potentially, down depending on traffic.
That pricing has attracted a growing number of drivers.
In the first 10 months of operation, March through December 2022, the average daily weekday trips on I-4 Express totaled 39,700 vehicles.
In that same span last year, there were 51,100 daily trips, up 28%.
But when we asked drivers like Prendergast if they would still use the express lanes when dynamic tolling kicks in, here are some replies:
“No, I'll try the alternative. I'll try to get up early and go to the slow lanes," Prendergast said.
“I will absolutely still use the express lanes," Cohen said.
“If they keep raising it, no. I mean, I feel like I'm already paying enough by putting money into the tolls. Why should we have to pay more?” Ducot said.
“It all depends on how much they're going to go up and how much they're going to go down," driver Jamie Medina said.
So far, FDOT is not saying when dynamic tolling will begin.
“We do not have the congestion level on I-4 Express to warrant that switch," Lane said.
When it does switch to dynamic tolling, FDOT says drivers will have a choice to pay extra or steer clear of the toll lanes.
WESH 2 Investigates previously revealed in our exclusive report in November that the state is not enforcing the use of transponders on the I-4 Express lanes, instead, billing people by mail for tolls and service charges by taking pictures of their license plates.
FDOT provided no update as to when or if it will fine drivers $25 for violations.