Toll Question

[Kristina685]

Hello all!

We are renting a car from Dollar at MCO and are driving to the Holiday Inn across from Universal. Our flight arrives at 9:30 a.m. on a Saturday and we plan on using Google maps to get to the hotel. I was wondering if there are any of those license plate tolls on our route or if we would be ok paying cash. I don't want to pay for the SunPass thing if I don't need it. Here is the route Google Maps is giving us....

Orlando International Airport

1. Head north on S Access Rd/Jeff Fuqua Blvd

2. Continue to follow Jeff Fuqua Blvd 1.7 mi

3. Use the 2nd from the right lane to continue on S Semoran Blvd 0.3 mi

4. Use the right lane to take the ramp onto FL-528 W/FL-528 Toll W
Toll road

5. Continue on FL-528 W/FL-528 Toll W. TakeFlorida's Turnpike to FL-435 N/S Kirkman Rd. Take exit 75B from I-4 W 15 min (13.4 mi)

6. Merge onto FL-528 W/FL-528 Toll W
Partial toll road

7. Take exit 4 for Florida's Turnpike toward US-17/US-92/US-441/Orange Blossom Tr
Toll road

8. Keep right, follow signs for Florida's Turnpike N and merge onto Florida's Turnpike
Toll road

9. Take exit 259 to merge onto I-4 W towardTampa
Partial toll road

10. Take exit 75B to merge onto FL-435 N/S Kirkman Rd

11. Merge onto FL-435 N/S Kirkman Rd


Thanks for your help!!

 

[mjmgsssp]

Unless something has changed in the past year, you will be fine paying cash.

 

[joelkfla]

Yes, just be sure to keep to the right and follow the signs to exit the main highway to the cash toll booths on 528. Stay out of the lanes that say SunPass only, E-Pass only, or Prepaid Tolls only.

 

[bumbershoot]

1. Head north on S Access Rd/Jeff Fuqua Blvd

2. Continue to follow Jeff Fuqua Blvd 1.7 mi

3. Use the 2nd from the right lane to continue on S Semoran Blvd 0.3 mi

Those can and should be replaced by "follow the airport signs to themeparks or Disney or Universal or Tampa whatever it says, but ultimately 528 W".

All those little things aren't helpful b/c if you go from side A or B it'll be different, and the signs don't necessarily say what the GPS says.

Know where you're going, and ultimately you'll work it out.

TakeFlorida's Turnpike to FL-435 N/S Kirkman Rd.

follow signs for Florida's Turnpike N and merge onto Florida's Turnpike

Alarm! Alarm! The Turnpike is a different road than 528!

Now if those are just semantics and 528 mushes in with the turnpike at times and this is a false alarm on my part, experts will tell me. Or if it's still a cash system, people will say so.

But we once accidentally did the Orangewood thing and ended up on the big scary Turnpike and had to stop at the booth and say "I didn't mean to do this!" and he let me turn around somewhere.


Last week we went from the airport to Universal. We did the airport stuff (it's a giant ring road, there's an orange side and a green side, meaning the signs for them are in different colors, and if you miss something *just circle back around*...don't waste time being freaked, do NOT have an argument between driver/navigator, it's a crazy crazy airport but it's a circle), got onto 528 going the correct direction.

I just went on 528 until it hits I-4. Turn *east* on it (which in physical space at that point is actually going north, but pretend that's not happening and just go "east" on 4. There might be signs saying you're going to Orlando; that's correct because Orlando is that way, and if you go on 4 West you're going ultimately towards Tampa. So get on 4, go up a few miles, take the exits for Universal or your resort.


I would do something way more like this for Holiday Inn at Universal.

Get on FL-528 W/FL-528 Toll W
3 min (2.3 mi)


Follow FL-528 W/FL-528 Toll W and I-4 E to S Kirkman Rd. Exit from I-4 E
15 min (14.5 mi)

Continue on S Kirkman Rd. Drive to Caravan Ct

 

[Kristina685]

Unless something has changed in the past year, you will be fine paying cash.

Yes, just be sure to keep to the right and follow the signs to exit the main highway to the cash toll booths on 528. Stay out of the lanes that say SunPass only, E-Pass only, or Prepaid Tolls only.

Those can and should be replaced by "follow the airport signs to themeparks or Disney or Universal or Tampa whatever it says, but ultimately 528 W".

Thanks for the info! I thought it was kind of strange to be getting on the Turnpike when 528 runs directly to I-4. My guess would be it was Google's "fastest route" at the time I searched. I figured I'd just follow the signs out of the airport for 528 West and then take it from there. I wish all the states used the same Toll pass system. I have EZ-PASS here in PA. Wouldn't that be nice? Haha oh well! Thank you all for your help!

 

[Capt_BJ]

things HAVE changed in the past year ... but for your purpose they are easier

there WERE two tolls between the airport and I-4 on 528. Now, so long as you stay on 528 'til I-4, there is ONE. STAY RIGHT to pay cash ....

[the toll plaza nearest the airport was removed. The toll at the remaining (western) plaza was increased. The exits between the airport and the turnpike are now tolled ... these exit tolls are exact change or e/Sunpass only <not attended>]

https://www.cfxway.com/for-traveler...a-demolition-ramp-plaza-construction-project/

To improve safety and efficiency, the Central Florida Expressway Authority is removing the State Road 528 (Martin B. Andersen Beachline Expressway) Airport Plaza. The toll currently collected at this plaza will be collected at the existing SR 528 West Main Plaza and at four (4) new ramp plazas (see the Project Map graphic). The new ramp plazas will feature both exact change and dedicated E-PASS lanes. Two (2) ramp gantries providing an electronic toll rebate will also be added.

this project is 'completed' from the driver's perspective .... clean up continues

 

[joelkfla]

Thanks for the info! I thought it was kind of strange to be getting on the Turnpike when 528 runs directly to I-4. My guess would be it was Google's "fastest route" at the time I searched. I figured I'd just follow the signs out of the airport for 528 West and then take it from there. I wish all the states used the same Toll pass system. I have EZ-PASS here in PA. Wouldn't that be nice? Haha oh well! Thank you all for your help!

That routing may have been because the exit from I-4E to Kirkman came in from the left side of road, and you would have had to slide across 3 lanes of traffic in a short distance to get to HI on the right.

However, that interchange has been reconstructed as part of the I4 Ultimate, and you now come in from the right, so that's no longer a problem.

 

[bumbershoot]

When I pulled up the routes there was a whole minute's difference between Turnpike and going to 4. So yes it's shorter, but....

Now, so long as you stay on 528 'til I-4, there is ONE. STAY RIGHT to pay cash ....

Yes.

Stay on 528! Even I, a person who has been on 528 (and 417) a few times paying cash, got very very confused this time because it almost looked like I needed to take exits, and pay a toll, then get back on. I stayed strong, I was brave, and I did NOT. And then ultimately I came to the REAL toll, paid my $2.25, and continued on. Don't think you have to take an *exit* to pay a toll. When it's THE toll it's very obvious.



Now if only I could figure out the way BACK. This time I got off 528, some exits after paying the 2.25, to get gas, and then went back on it and paid another 1.25. Grr. I can never remember which gas station I go to and only once have I been able to find my way to the airport by normal roads.
That McCoy/etc thing gets me every time, and the whole "which 7-11 do I go to?" thing. I have a mental block.

 

[Capt_BJ]

I would agree that getting off and back on 528 between the airport and I-4 is probably worse with this arrangement ... but the old toll plaza WAS old design, scene of many accidents and removing it has lessened average travel times.

best gas if returning a rental and on 528 (north side of airport)

exit on Semoran ... same road that would take you into the airport, but go NORTH 1.2 miles to Lee Vista ... there's a WaWa there. You will NOT get ripped off like some other places around the airport. From WaWa just go south on Semoran and you end up on the same entr' road to the airport as if you came off 528 ..... no toll at the on/off ramp too!

if you don't know WaWa ... trust me ... folks go out of their way to get to a WaWa ..... WaWa is what you WISH 7-11 was!

heck if today I was returning a rental to airport from WDW I'd take 417 and exit at for the airport, drive thru the airport, north to this WaWa ... gas up and go back to the airport ....

but admittedly, I KNOW where I'm going ....

 

[Capt_BJ]

Thanks for the info! I thought it was kind of strange to be getting on the Turnpike when 528 runs directly to I-4. My guess would be it was Google's "fastest route" at the time I searched. I figured I'd just follow the signs out of the airport for 528 West and then take it from there. I wish all the states used the same Toll pass system. I have EZ-PASS here in PA. Wouldn't that be nice? Haha oh well! Thank you all for your help!

if you look at a map you'll quickly see that the turnpike makes the 'shortest route' and with default preferences on what ever map program you use .. probably the 'quickest route'

neither of which is 'makes most sense route'!

************

wrt I wish all the states used the same Toll pass system. I have EZ-PASS here in PA.

it is work in progress .... you did not 'dis' FL (most do) so let me flip the coin: wouldn't it be nice if EZ-PASS systems accepted SUNPASS? On a recent trip north I got just as "screwed" by electronic only tolls and a rental company as any complaint I've seen here about FL .... I have posted on this topic MANY times and provided too many technical details. The federal government set a date of this Oct for all electronic toll systems to play nice together (you don't see a lot of comments but there is a BIG system in CA too). I dunno if this will be met, but one article mentioned that the problem was not transponders or other "hardware" things .... but the various State financial accounting systems for moving the toll $$ back and forth!!!!!! Every one being UNIQUE .....

 

[bumbershoot]

if you don't know WaWa ... trust me ... folks go out of their way to get to a WaWa ..... WaWa is what you WISH 7-11 was!

LOL. All I need from a gas station is gas.

heck if today I was returning a rental to airport from WDW I'd take 417 and exit at for the airport, drive thru the airport, north to this WaWa ... gas up and go back to the airport ....

Nowadays we're generally coming from Universal.

exit on Semoran ... same road that would take you into the airport, but go NORTH 1.2 miles to Lee Vista ... there's a WaWa there. You will NOT get ripped off like some other places around the airport. From WaWa just go south on Semoran and you end up on the same entr' road to the airport as if you came off 528 ..... no toll at the on/off ramp too!

Interesting. I'll try to remember that next time.

Aren't there only two gas stations that do the ripoff pricing?

 

[Capt_BJ]

ya know .....

you make me sorry I bothered to reply

if coming from Universal you are possibly STILL on 528

and I don't keep track of how many gas stations have a bad rep but WAWA is NOT one of them

good NIGHT