The physical toll booths on the Pinellas Bayway are coming down, and Clearwater-area drivers heading to Fort De Soto Park and other southern Pinellas beaches should notice fewer slowdowns by fall.
The Florida Department of Transportation began demolishing the toll plaza on State Road 682 in mid-July, according to Bay News 9 and FDOT's project page. The $1.2 million project, handled by contractor Cone & Graham Inc., converts the plaza just west of Dolphin Cay Lane South and Landings Drive in St. Petersburg to all-electronic tolling.
Drivers will still pay. They just won't have to stop.
FDOT spokesperson Kris Carson told Bay News 9 the agency wants smoother, safer traffic by getting the old gantry structure out of the roadway and shifting entirely to electronic collection.
Lane closures scheduled through late August
Construction started July 13. On July 16, FDOT West Central announced on X that westbound plaza removal had begun. Lane closures on SR 682 between Dolphin Cay Lane and the toll plaza are scheduled Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., through Friday, Aug. 21, according to FDOT's Pinellas County lane-closure listings. Additional closures may follow as work continues.
FDOT expects the full project completed by fall 2026.
Why it matters for Clearwater-area drivers
The Bayway is the primary road route to St. Pete Beach, Fort De Soto Park and Shell Key Preserve. Anyone driving south from Clearwater or the mid-county beaches funnels through the same plaza that has forced traffic to bunch up for years.
Nearby business owner welcomes the change
Cedric Robinson, owner of The Deck Bar and Grill on the Bayway, told Bay News 9 the old setup kept some visitors away.
"Tolls always kind of make people a little apprehensive about going to certain places," Robinson said.
He said eliminating the stop-and-go at the booths is exactly what drivers and nearby businesses need.
Tolling continues, just without the stop
The toll itself isn't going away. SunPass users and toll-by-plate drivers will still be charged electronically. FDOT has not published the current toll rate on its project page.
FDOT's project page lists fall 2026 as the target completion, with updates posted as construction progresses.
