Jump to content

Central Florida Expressway Authority

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from E-Pass)

Central Florida Expressway Authority
Agency overview
Formed2014[1]
Preceding agency
  • Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority
TypeToll road
JurisdictionOrange, Seminole, Lake, Brevard, Osceola and Polk counties
HeadquartersOrlando, Florida
Websitewww.cfxway.com

The Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX) is a highway authority responsible for construction, maintenance and operation of toll roads in five counties in the Greater Orlando area (specifically Lake, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole, and Brevard Counties). As of May 2025, the agency operates all or part of 10 toll roads in the area, totaling 125 miles (201 km).[2]

The authority was created in 2014 as the legal successor of the Orlando–Orange County Expressway Authority (OOCEA), which only had authority in Orange County, and it was merged with the Osceola County Expressway Authority in 2018.[3] CFX is not the only operator in the region; other toll roads are built directly by the state government through Florida's Turnpike Enterprise.

CFX operates an electronic toll collection system known as E-PASS, one of the first systems of its kind in the United States,[citation needed] whose transponders are free and fully interoperable with SunPass, Peach Pass, and NC QuickPass. Since 2018,[4] CFX also accepts E-ZPass transponders and offers its own E-ZPass-compatible transponder, Uni, for an additional charge.[5]

Jurisdiction

[edit]

CFX officially defines its system as eight toll roads in the Central Florida area, with an additional road currently under construction. Tolls on any system roads are used to fund construction and maintenance projects throughout the entire system.[6]

On some roads, CFX only has jurisdiction on certain segments; the rest of the road is controlled by Florida's Turnpike Enterprise (if tolled) or the Florida Department of Transportation (if non-tolled). The table below concerns only the CFX-controlled portions of the roads.

Number Length (mi) Length (km) Southern or western terminus Northern or eastern terminus Local names Formed Removed Notes
SR 408 21.21 34.13 SR 50 in Ocoee Challenger Parkway in Alafaya Spessard L. Holland East–West Expressway 01973-01-011973 current SR 408 continues 0.89 mi (1.43 km) west to Florida's Turnpike under FTE
SR 414 9.38 15.10 SR 429/US 441 in Apopka US 441 in Lockhart John Land Apopka Expressway 02009-01-012009 current Concurrent with SR 429 for 3.4 mi (5.5 km); SR 414 continues 6.46 mi (10.40 km) east without tolls to US 17/US 92
SR 417 31.47 50.65 World Center Drive in Lake Buena Vista Orange/Seminole county line in Bertha Central Florida GreeneWay 01988-01-011988 current SR 417 continues 5.10 mi (8.21 km) west and 16.41 mi (26.41 km) northwest under FTE; both segments end at I-4
SR 429 30.79 49.55 Seidel Road in Horizon West CR 435 near Mount Plymouth Daniel Webster Western Beltway / Wekiva Parkway[a] 02000-01-012000 current SR 429 continues 9.84 mi (15.84 km) south and 12.98 mi (20.89 km) northeast under FTE; both segments end at I-4
SR 451 1.87 3.01 SR 414 in Apopka US 441 in Apopka 02013-01-012013 current Originally built as a segment of SR 429
SR 453 3.36 5.41 SR 429 in Apopka SR 46 in Mount Dora Mount Dora Connector 02018-01-012018 current
SR 516 4.4 7.1 US 27 in Clermont SR 429 in Horizon West Lake/Orange Expressway proposed — Completion estimated for 2029[7]
SR 528 22.70 36.53 SR 482 in Belle Isle SR 520 in eastern Orange County Martin Andersen Beachline Expressway[b] 01974-01-011974 current SR 528 continues 8.14 mi (13.10 km) west to I-4 under FTE and 22.66 mi (36.47 km) east without tolls to SR A1A
SR 538 7.22 11.62 CR 580 in Poinciana Polk/Osceola county line in Loughman Poinciana Parkway 01974-01-011974 current Road continues north without tolls to US 17/US 92
  •       Proposed and unbuilt
  1. ^ SR 429 is known as Wekiva Parkway north of US 441 and Western Beltway south of it
  2. ^ formerly Bee Line Expressway

Non-system

[edit]

In addition to the above tollways, CFX operates toll plazas on two "non-system" roads. These roads are managed under special agreements with a local governmental body, and tolls collected on them only fund the specific road.[8]

Number Length (mi) Length (km) Southern or western terminus Northern or eastern terminus Local names Formed Removed Notes
SR 551 2.5 4.0 SR 528 in Orlando SR 15 in Orlando Goldenrod Road Extension 02003-01-012003 current Unsigned; SR 551 continues 8.79 mi (14.15 km) north without tolls to SR 426
CR 522 6.2 10.0 SR 417 in Celebration US 17/US 92 in Kissimmee Osceola Parkway 01995-01-011995 current CFX operates tolls on Osceola Parkway[a] on behalf of Osceola County; road continues in both directions without tolls
  1. ^ CFX operates a mainline toll plaza at Shingle Creek and a toll booth at the on-ramp connecting SR 417 to Osceola Parkway

History

[edit]

CFX was founded in 1963 for the purpose of building the Bee Line Expressway, and soon built the East-West Expressway.

Many sections of the current expressway system, such as the connection of SR 528 from Sand Lake Road to I-4, the sections of SR 417 in Seminole and Osceola counties, and SR 429 south of Seidel Road, were built by the Florida's Turnpike Enterprise, and their toll facilities are managed by the same.

Beginning in 2007, CFX began transitioning its signage from FHWA Series E modified typeface to signs that use the new Clearview typeface.

The newest addition to the CFX system is an extension of Maitland Boulevard (State Road 414) known as the John Land Apopka Expressway. The expressway opened on May 15, 2009. The project was inherited from the Florida Department of Transportation, which referred to it as the "Apopka Bypass". Planning is also underway for an extension of State Road 429 known as the Wekiva Parkway. In addition, SR 408 underwent a massive overhaul, including the relocation of its two main toll plazas, large sections of widening, and expansion of a bridge over Lake Underhill.

In 2010, CFX was attempting to keep the average toll to $0.11 per mile.[9]

The current 25-year plan, the "2040 Master Plan", was approved in May 2016.[10] Included are two new toll connections to Brevard County (including an extension of SR 408), a southern bypass of SR 417 to Florida's Turnpike south of St. Cloud, a connection bypassing the three remaining signalized intersections on SR 414, and a connection from the Western Beltway to U.S. Highway 27 south of Clermont.[11]

A 2013 grand jury investigation into the CFX, found a "culture of corruption," involving gifts and campaign donations. CFX was criticized for firing the Director who was attempting to stop this corruption, replacing him with a legislator with no experience of running a toll operation. The job paid over $175,000 annually.[12][13]

Canceled projects

[edit]

The Central Connector, known by the Florida Department of Transportation as State Road 529[14] (SR 529), was a proposed tollway planned to parallel Orange Avenue (SR 527) between downtown Orlando and the Beachline Expressway. The project was canceled in 1991 after much local opposition.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "About CFX". Central Florida Expressway Authority. Retrieved June 12, 2019.
  2. ^ "CFX Overview | Central Florida Expressway Authority". Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  3. ^ Jackson, Ken (May 16, 2024). "The Osceola Parkway extension: what's happened, and what's next". Osceola News-Gazette. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  4. ^ Williams, Kevin (August 2, 2018). "E-ZPass is coming to some local toll roads starting Sept. 1". Orlando, FL: WFTV. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  5. ^ "E-ZPass Accepted on All Florida Toll Roads". Central Florida Expressway Authority. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  6. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions". Central Florida Expressway Authority. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  7. ^ "State Road 516 (Lake/Orange Expressway) from US 27 to SR 429". Central Florida Expressway Authority. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  8. ^ "SR 551 (Goldenrod Road)". Central Florida Expressway Authority. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  9. ^ Schweers, Jeff (December 6, 2010). "New Beachline plaza won't increase toll". Melbourne, Florida: Florida Today. pp. 1A. Archived from the original on July 10, 2012.
  10. ^ "CFX Master Plans". Central Florida Expressway Authority. Retrieved October 1, 2022.
  11. ^ "2040 Master Plan" (PDF). Central Florida Expressway Authority. Retrieved October 1, 2022.
  12. ^ "Thumbs up, thumbs down: Brevard's winners, losers in the news". FloridaToday. Gannett. January 15, 2014. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  13. ^ Tracy, Dan (December 28, 2013). "Orlando Expressway Authority in turmoil, faces uncertain future". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  14. ^ Orange County Comptroller - Official Records Archived May 4, 2008, at the Wayback Machine book 5045 page 2928
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Central_Florida_Expressway_Authority&oldid=1292346050"