Central Florida Expressway Authority

The Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX) is a highway authority responsible for construction, maintenance and operation of toll roads in five counties of Greater Orlando (Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, and Brevard Counties). It was created in 2014 to replace the Orlando–Orange County Expressway Authority (OOCEA), which only had authority in Orange County, and as of 2016 no roads outside that county have been added to the system. Other toll roads in the area are operated by Florida's Turnpike Enterprise (successor to the Seminole County Expressway Authority) and the Osceola County Expressway Authority; with the latter of which possibly merging into CFX some time after 2018.[2]

Central Florida Expressway Authority
Agency overview
Formed2014[1]
Preceding agency
  • Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority
TypeToll road
JurisdictionOrange, Seminole, Lake, Brevard, and Osceola counties
HeadquartersOrlando, Florida
Parent agencyFlorida Department of Transportation
Websitewww.cfxway.com

The Wekiva Parkway, the final piece of a beltway around Orlando, is planned for completion through Lake and Orange Counties by 2021.

CFX operates an electronic toll collection system known as E-PASS, one of the first systems of its kind in the United States. Use of the state's SunPass system is also available on CFX roads. On November 9, 2017, it was announced that CFX would join the E-ZPass group. CFX began accepting E-ZPass as a form of payment starting on September 1, 2018, but only on roads which they maintain.[3][4]

Jurisdiction

The following roads were built and/or are maintained by CFX. Some roads share jurisdiction with other agencies – either Florida's Turnpike Enterprise or the Florida Department of Transportation, or have multiple agencies maintaining different portions of the road.

  • SR 408 (Spessard L. Holland East–West Expressway), from Florida's Turnpike in Gotha to Challenger Parkway in Alafaya
  • SR 414 (John Land Apopka Expressway): from SR 429 / US 441 in Apopka to SR 414 / US 441 in Lockhart, continuing east as a state-maintained boulevard
  • SR 417 (Central Florida GreeneWay): from I-4 in Celebration to I-4 in Sanford
  • SR 429 (Daniel Webster Western Beltway): from I-4 in Four Corners to CR 435 near Mount Plymouth
  • SR 429 (Wekiva Parkway): a partially-built extension of the Western Beltway that will connect to I-4/ SR 417 in Sanford and complete a full beltway around Orlando
  • SR 451: a short spur route in Apopka connecting SR 414 / SR 429 to US 441
  • SR 453 (Wekiva Parkway): a short spur route to Sorrento connecting SR 429 to SR 46
  • SR 528 (Martin Andersen Beachline Expressway): from I-4 in Celebration to SR A1A near Cape Canaveral
  • SR 538 (Poinciana Parkway): from US 17 / US 92 in Loughman to CR 580 in Poinciana
  • Goldenrod Road Extension, an unsigned extension of SR 551 in Orlando connecting the state road with SR 528

History

CFX was founded in 1963 for the purpose of building the Bee Line Expressway, and soon built the East-West Expressway.

Many sections of the current expressway system, such as the connection of SR 528 from Sand Lake Road to I-4, the sections of SR 417 in Seminole and Osceola counties, and SR 429 south of Seidel Road, were built by the Florida's Turnpike Enterprise, and their toll facilities are managed by the same.

Beginning in 2007, CFX began transitioning its signage from FHWA Series E modified typeface to signs that use the new Clearview typeface.

The newest addition to the CFX system is an extension of Maitland Boulevard (State Road 414) known as the John Land Apopka Expressway. The expressway opened on May 15, 2009. The project was inherited from the Florida Department of Transportation, which referred to it as the "Apopka Bypass". Planning is also underway for an extension of State Road 429 known as the Wekiva Parkway. In addition, SR 408 underwent a massive overhaul, including the relocation of its two main toll plazas, large sections of widening, and expansion of a bridge over Lake Underhill.

In 2010, CFX was attempting to keep the average toll to $0.11 per mile.[5]

The current 25-year plan, the "2030 Master Plan", includes two new toll connections to Brevard County (including an extension of SR 408), a new connection from Sanford to New Smyrna Beach parallel to State Road 415, a southern bypass of SR 417 to Florida's Turnpike south of St. Cloud, and a connection from the Western Beltway to U.S. Highway 27 south of Clermont.

A 2013 grand jury investigation into the CFX, found a "culture of corruption," involving gifts and campaign donations. CFX was criticized for firing the Director who was attempting to stop this corruption, replacing him with a legislator with no experience of running a toll operation. The job paid over $175,000 annually.[6][7]

Canceled projects

The Central Connector, known by the Florida Department of Transportation as State Road 529[8] (SR 529), was a proposed tollway planned to parallel Orange Avenue (SR 527) between downtown Orlando and the Beachline Expressway. The project was canceled in 1991 after much local opposition.

References
  1. "About CFX". Central Florida Expressway Authority. Retrieved June 12, 2019.
  2. Frequently Asked Questions about CFX Archived 2014-07-03 at the Wayback Machine, accessed June 2014
  3. "Central Florida Expressway Authority Joins E-ZPass Group" (Press release). Central Florida Expressway Authority. November 9, 2017. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  4. Williams, Kevin (August 2, 2018). "E-ZPass is coming to some local toll roads starting Sept. 1". Orlando, FL: WFTV. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  5. Schweers, Jeff (6 December 2010). "New Beachline plaza won't increase toll". Melbourne, Florida: Florida Today. pp. 1A. Archived from the original on 10 July 2012.
  6. http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20140115/OPINION/301150004/
  7. Tracy, Dan (2013-12-28). "Orlando Expressway Authority in turmoil, faces uncertain future". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 2014-01-18.
  8. Orange County Comptroller - Official Records Archived May 4, 2008, at the Wayback Machine book 5045 page 2928
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