Sunshine Skyway Bridge Tolls to Go Fully Cashless to Improve Traffic Flow

Toll booths at both ends of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge will transition to an all-electronic, cashless system in an effort to reduce traffic congestion caused by slow cash transactions, officials say. The Florida Department of Transportation plans to remove cash-handling equipment as part of the changes, requiring drivers to pay tolls with SunPass or toll-by-plate accounts instead of cash.

On the St. Petersburg side of the bridge, the switch to electronic tolling will be coordinated with a resurfacing project set to begin in the coming months. FDOT officials told the city council that crews will remove the cash collection devices during the work, although physical lane dividers and overhead structures are expected to remain in place until around 2029 or 2030.

State transportation officials hope the phased move will alleviate peak-hour backups that have long plagued the Skyway’s toll plazas. The timeline for implementing the cashless system on the Manatee County side of the bridge is still uncertain, leaving some details of the overall transition open.

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