Feb 9, 2026 - News

Sunshine Skyway tolls to go cashless, freeing up traffic

Kathryn Varn

Multiple cars driving toward a toll plaza under a cloudy sky, with green lights showing open lanes and palm trees on the right side of the road. — The toll plaza on the St. Petersburg side of the Skyway. Photo: Sean Rayford/Getty Images

Toll booths at both ends of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge will soon go fully electronic, according to the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).

Why it matters: The plazas currently accept cash, which can cause traffic to bottleneck during peak travel times.

State of play: The St. Pete-side change will happen along with a resurfacing project set to kick off in the next few months, FDOT modal development administrator Brian Hunter told City Council at Thursday's meeting.

Workers will take out the cash collection devices, Hunter said, and drivers will pay the toll via SunPass or toll-by-plate.
The lane dividers and overhead structure will remain until the agency removes them in 2029 or 2030. After that, the toll area will look more like what's on the Gateway Expressway or the Veterans Expressway.

What they're saying: "That's a little bigger of a project for us," Hunter said, "but hopefully the first phase will make a difference and then that second one will really make a difference."

It's unclear when the cash-free changeover will happen on the Manatee County side of the bridge.

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Sunshine Skyway tolls to go cashless, freeing up traffic

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