Several great beaches, lovely palm trees, amazing blue water, and the gigantic Florida Aquarium – these are the reasons why tourists love Tampa. The city may be a bit overlooked in comparison to such cities like Miami and Key West but it’s definitely a gem you shouldn’t miss out on while on the trip through Florida. It’s a great mix of lush parks, outdoor adventure, and city culture. If you’re ready to visit Tampa, here is everything you should know about Tampa toll roads.

Are there toll roads in Tampa?

At first sight, Tampa roads can be confusing. You may not know whether I-75 is different from I-275 or what the Veterans Expressway is. Below, you will find complete information about all the toll roads in the state.

I-275

A major and central interstate system connecting south and north Tampa. It is 60 miles (97 km) long with a southern terminus at I-75 near Palmetto and the northern terminus at I-75 in Wesley Chapel. It services more of the urban areas in the heart of Tampa, providing a convenient route for commuters and tourists. It’s called a conduit of regional mobility. I-275 provides access to the University of South Florida and the Innovation District.

I-75

I-75 is part of the Interstate Highway System. It’s larger than I-275, running from the Hialeah-Miami Lakes border to Sault Ste. Marie in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Interstate 75 is 471 miles (758 km) long which makes it the longest interstate in the entire state. It is also the longest in any state east of the Mississippi River. It allows residents to access north areas like Gainesville or Brooksville, and south areas like Sarasota or Brandon. The speed limit is 70 mph for the entire length of Florida. The last portion of I-75 was opened in 1993.

Veteran’s Expressway

The Veteran’s Expressway begins in South Tampa near Westshore. It runs all the way north through Lutz and up to Brooksville. Then, it turns into the Suncoast Parkway. This toll road has one managed lane in each direction. It is 9 miles long from Memorial Highway to the north of Hutchison Road. It was fully opened to traffic in May 2018. Only two-axle vehicles are permitted – trucks with three or more axles are not allowed. Vehicles must have an active SunPass or other accepted transponder tag.

Crosstown Expressway

A 15-mile (22.8 km) long limited-access, all-electronic toll road in Hillsborough County. Crosstown Expressway was actually renamed and since 1999, it has been known as Lee Roy Selmon Expressway, in honor of former Tampa Bay Buccaneers hall-of-fame football player Lee Roy Selmon. The toll road connects South Tampa near MacDill Air Force Base with Downtown Tampa and Brandon. It was built in stages, opening between 1976 and 1987. The toll road is mostly useful to residents of South and Downtown Tampa. There are no toll booths so make sure you have a transponder tag installed on your vehicle.

Howard Franklin Bridge

In addition to toll roads in Tampa, there are also toll bridges. Howard Franklin Bridge connects Tampa to Pinellas Park across Tampa Bay. It is the stretch of I-275 and a main route to Clearwater and St. Pete from Tampa. It is one of three bridges connecting Hillsborough County and Pinellas County (with Gandy Bridge and Courtney Campbell Causeway). The final completion of the bridge is expected in late 2025. The other name of the bridge is Howard Frankland Bridge.

Courtney Campbell Causeway

The bridge connects Town N’Country and parts of East Tampa to Clearwater. It carries State Road 60 between Clearwater, Florida in Pinellas County and Tampa, Florida, in Hillsborough County. The bridge was designated as an official scenic highway in 2005. It’s one of the bridges Tampa residents use to access the beaches.

Gandy Bridge

The bridge connects South Tampa and the MacDill area to St. Pete. It’s often highly congested, especially during rush hours. It provides easy access to Clearwater. Gandy Bridge was also known as the Friendship Trail Bridge. It is almost 3 miles long. If you are afraid of being on a small road close to the water, make sure you avoid Gandy Bridge!

Sunshine Skyway

The bridge is part of Interstate 275. It connects St. Petersburg to Bradenton. The construction of the bridge started in 1984. It was completed in 1987. The bridge was built at a cost of $244 million in place of an older bridge that was partially destroyed in 1980. The bridge is 6.7 km long. It has received many design awards.

How to pay tolls in Tampa?

Florida toll roads are operated and maintained through toll revenues collected from customers. To drive on Tampa toll roads, you can use SunPass or another interoperable transponder tag. The Toll-by-plate option is also available. You can also download and install the Uproad App, which covers Tampa toll roads as well as 95% of toll roads across the country. You can easily determine in advance how much your trip will cost in Tampa by using an online toll calculator such as Uproad’s.

SunPass is a prepaid toll program that can be used on all toll facilities in Florida, North Carolina, and Georgia. The SunPass transponder tag allows you to pay 25 cents less at each tolling location. Also, if you are a SunPass user, you don’t incur a per-invoice administration fee.