The Lee Board of County Commissioners voted Tuesday to approve measures that will expand where LeeWay toll transponders can operate.
The change will allow motorists to purchase a multi-protocol transponder that will work throughout Florida and the E-ZPass network in 19 states across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest.
These new transponders will be called LeeWay Plus and will be available for purchase sometime in the fall of 2022.
Commissioners approved an E-ZPass Sponsored Affiliate Member Agreement that will allow Lee County to issue special multi-protocol transponders that will work on both Florida and E-ZPass toll lanes.
The agreement allows Lee County transponders and electronic toll transactions on E-ZPass toll lanes to be processed through the Central Florida Expressway (CFX).
The costs to complete the interoperability process will require software upgrades, a one-time $200,000 payment to CFX and a payment of $60,000 to the county’s toll software vendor, which already is included in a Board-approved contract.
Commissioners also approved a one-year agreement with the county’s transponder vendor, Transcore LP, to provide the LeeWay Plus transponders, which will sell for $20.66 plus tax. LeeWay sticker transponders will continue to be free to customers and work throughout Florida, North Carolina and Georgia.
Lee County has used All-Electronic Tolling since the pandemic began in 2020. The Lee Board of County Commissioners voted in June and August this year to maintain this to align with Florida’s SunPass program, to return to the same tollway fee structure that was in place before the pandemic, and to adjust motorcyclists’ toll pricing to align with vehicles.
On Oct. 1, the county reinstated the $3 administrative fee for pay-by-plate customers who do not have a transponder or do not maintain a positive balance in their LeeWay account.
Free transponders that work on LeeWay toll bridges are still available at www.leegov.com/tolls at no cost to motorists, but they will not work in the E-ZPass service areas.
