I-4 Express lanes are open: Everything you need to know

First weekday work commute on I-4 Express lanes

The I-4 Express lanes are getting the first taste of Monday traffic.

ORLANDO, Fla. - The I-4 Express lanes are getting the first taste of Monday traffic.

The Florida Department of Transportation says the Express lanes should cut traffic by 20-percent. One thing FDOT and FHP has emphasized is this is not a racing strip to get you to work faster. Daytona 500 is over. This is just an alternate route.

FHP says troopers are actively patrolling the 21-mile stretch for speeders. Over the weekend, troopers issued 77 tickets for speeding within the I-4 express lanes. The highest speed was 101 mph in a posted 60 mph.

FDOT says there are 14 entrances and exit lanes from I-4. There are also several other places where there’s direct access from local roads.

I-4 Express lanes: What you can do and what you can't do

FOX 35 talks to FHP Lt. Kim Montes about the new I-4 Express lanes.

And just a reminder: this isn't a lane where you hop on to get around a few cars. This is for drivers who need to go farther on their commute.

"It’s not meant for drivers going from exit to exit. It’s meant for drivers to go a little bit longer distance. So there are exits that you’ll need to look and see if it makes sense for your route, and for some people it may make sense if you’re going to Maitland to go a little bit further and then come back that way," FDOT said.

Officials warn if you miss your exit, do not try to make a U-turn.

"You should not make a U-turn or ever stop on Express Lanes if you make a mistake. It’s important to just keep going, follow the signage and get off when it’s safe. Then you can pull over and navigate yourself where you need to go."

The lanes are free for now. Starting Thursday, you'll be charged 50-cent per toll point and you must have SunPass or an approved transponder to get on the lanes. If you don't have one, you can face a $25 fine plus the toll. Cash and TOLL-BY-PLATE are not accepted.

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