Statement from Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez:

I am pleased at the news this week that the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will suspend tolls on State Road 826 – the Palmetto Expressway – and roll back the express lane program that created more congestion and unduly burdened the working public.

As I stated last year when FDOT first implemented the tolls on the Palmetto, this was ill-advised and not in the best interests of Miami-Dade County commuters. Now, according to reports, the northbound express lanes will be reduced from two to one, there will be an additional regular southbound lane added, and tolls will be suspended indefinitely.

Further, the rumored “toll-within-a-toll” express lanes for the Florida Turnpike in Miami-Dade County will now be managed lanes for use by motorists on longer trips, but with no additional tolls.

I want to commend Governor Ron DeSantis, Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez, our state legislators and the Florida Department of Transportation for listening to the concerns of our residents and taking action to implement these changes, bringing relief to drivers in our County without having to wait for a long, possibly drawn-out legislative process.