CAPE CORAL, Fla. (WINK) – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has proposed a plan that could eliminate tolls for permanent state residents, potentially impacting millions of drivers across the state.
During a cabinet meeting in Tallahassee on Wednesday, DeSantis suggested that visitors could cover the toll costs, allowing residents to benefit from a break. He said, “You can charge the visitors and they can probably pay it all and give residents a break I think that would be really good.”
Southwest Florida cities like Cape Coral and Sanibel rely heavily on toll revenue for transportation projects. A spokesperson from Sanibel, Eric Jackson, mentioned that any changes to this revenue source would require a new funding plan to maintain safe roads.
“If it’s less money, we would have to plan for that, we’d have to offset those costs with something else to make sure that we are doing the job we need to do to keep the roads safe,” Jackson said.
Political science professor Aubrey Jewett from the University of Central Florida noted that the governor cannot make this change alone. The state legislature would need to be involved, and with the legislature back in session next month, this initiative might be addressed soon.
Jewett said, “It’s certainly possible you could see some cuts as long as the legislature had a good budget year ahead and had other money coming in they could use to pay off the debts of these tolls.”
Ending county-owned tolls, like those in Lee County, may be more complex than state tolls. Jewett mentioned that raising toll prices for visitors could be considered, though it risks affecting tourism revenue.
Chief WINK Investigates Reporter Chorus Nylander reviewed the latest data out of Lee County. In 2024, the county collected over $52 million in tolls.
According to the report, the mid-point bridge to Cape Coral collected the most revenue for the county and the bridge to Sanibel collected the least.
Eric Jackson told us that Sanibel collects over $1 million per year from tolls and it makes up a third of its entire transportation and roadwork budget.
The Governor’s proposal did not include many specifics and he acknowledged that it would take more than his own demands to make it come to fruition.
WINK News will keep you updated on any firm plans to end tolls for residents.