Construction on Florida’s Turnpike began in the mid-1950s, and the first 110-mile stretch was completed in 1957. Prior to Florida’s Turnpike, most customers traveling through Central Florida used U.S. 27. Now Florida’s Turnpike handles the bulk of traffic from Orlando to Florida’s major east coast cities and is used by nearly 3 million customers each day.
SUNSHINE STATE PKWY OPENING JAN. 25th 1957
Charles B. Costar led a group of citizens to lobby state officials to create Florida’s first toll road.
The Florida State Turnpike Authority was created to plan, design, and construct the bond‑financed toll roads.
June 11, 1953: The Florida Turnpike Act was signed into law by Governor Dan McCarty.
May 4, 1955: Governor LeRoy Collins signed the full‑length Turnpike Bill.
June 1955: A $74‑million bond issue was floated for the turnpike, and construction began the next month.
July 4, 1955: Governor Collins turned the first spade of earth for the new turnpike, originally named the Sunshine State Parkway.
Thomas B. Manuel — Father of the Turnpike — became chairman of the Florida State Turnpike Authority and held the post until 1961.
Construction near Okeechobee.
May 28, 1956: Okeechobee cowboys marked the route by using trucks to stretch woven wire fence before nailing it to poles placed in the ground.
Grand opening for the Sunshine State Parkway.
Golden Glades interchange grand opening.
January 25, 1957: Omero C. Catan — Mr. First — made it a point to be the first customer on the new Sunshine State Parkway.
Fort Pierce toll plaza.
West Palm Beach Service Plaza.
November 1959: Entrance to the Sunshine State Parkway near Fort Pierce.
Governor LeRoy Collins approved the sale of more than $80 million in bonds to finance the Turnpike extension from Fort Pierce to Wildwood.
Groundbreaking for the Fort Pierce–Wildwood extension.
November 21, 1962: The speed limit on the Turnpike was increased to 70 mph.
The second section of the Sunshine State Parkway — between Orlando and Wildwood — opened to traffic.
The Florida State Turnpike Authority began engineering studies for what would eventually become:
The Homestead Extension of Florida’s Turnpike (HEFT)
The Beachline West Expressway
April 18, 1967: Interchange between the Turnpike and Interstate 4 west of Orlando opened to traffic.
August 1967: West Palm Beach Playground.
Toll collectors from Florida’s Turnpike display their Governor’s Award for most courteous toll plaza.
April 1968: The Sunshine State Parkway was officially renamed Florida’s Turnpike to more closely identify with the state.
July 1, 1969: The Florida State Turnpike Authority was reorganized and incorporated into the newly formed Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).
FDOT Districts began managing the Turnpike’s work program, operations, and maintenance.
Golden Glades interchange
Mainline toll plaza
Fort Pierce Service Plaza
West Palm Beach Playground
Toll collectors receiving Governor’s Award
Groundbreaking ceremony for the Fort Pierce–Wildwood extension
Florida Turnpike Playground sign
Traffic scene with roadway signage
Design and production began for:
The 47‑mile Homestead Extension of Florida’s Turnpike (HEFT)
The 8‑mile Bee Line West Expressway from I‑4 east to McCoy Jetport
The Bee Line West Expressway fully opened to traffic.
It was the first Turnpike project built with the help of partners.
342 acres of land were donated by the Florida Land Company and the Martin‑Marietta Corporation.
The Homestead Extension of Florida’s Turnpike (HEFT) opened to traffic.
Aerial view of the junction of I‑4 and the Florida Turnpike.
Aerial view of a service plaza along the Turnpike.
The first Turnpike toll increase went into effect, applying to the entire 320‑mile system.
Road signage for the Bee Line West Expressway
Aerial view of I‑4 / Florida Turnpike junction
Aerial view of a Turnpike service plaza
Homestead Extension (HEFT) construction imagery
Bee Line West Expressway opening visuals
During this period of highway improvement and construction, the Turnpike System expanded, and modern technology was added to provide more value to customers.
The Sawgrass Expressway opened to traffic.
“The Future of Florida’s Turnpike” study was presented to the Florida Legislature, proposing expansion and improvements to existing facilities.
The state legislature created the Office of Florida’s Turnpike within FDOT.
$800 million in Turnpike bonds were authorized to:
Renovate service plazas
Enhance safety
Modernize toll facilities
Widen roadways
Improve interchanges
Newspaper headline: “Turnpike will add 11 exits — Coins to replace mileage tickets”
Sawgrass Expressway signage
Aerial or roadway views of Turnpike facilities
Turnpike system maps and construction imagery
FDOT and Turnpike branding from the era
Senate Bill 1316, signed by Governor Bob Martinez, officially authorized the expansion of Florida’s Turnpike.
The Sawgrass Expressway was acquired from the Broward County Expressway Authority.
Construction began on the 12‑mile Seminole Expressway.
Damage to the HEFT caused by Hurricane Andrew.
Florida’s Turnpike suffered an estimated $10.7 million in damages.
Construction began on the 15‑mile Veterans Expressway.
The Seminole Expressway, Project 1, opened.
The Office of Florida’s Turnpike reorganized and became FDOT’s eighth district.
Construction began on the 6‑mile Southern Connector Extension.
The Veterans Expressway opened to traffic.
Construction began on the 24.8‑mile Polk Parkway.
The Southern Connector Extension opened.
A report titled “Florida’s Turnpike: Building on the Past — Preparing for the Future” was released.
Senate Bill 2060 was signed into law, allowing the Turnpike District to develop electronic toll collection and relocate Turnpike headquarters.
Construction began on the 42‑mile Suncoast Parkway, Project 1.
Construction began on new Turnpike headquarters at the Turkey Lake Service Plaza, along with new Florida Highway Patrol and Operations buildings.
SunPass® launched as a new statewide electronic toll collection system.
More than 450 lanes of SunPass equipment were installed at 160 toll plazas.
Groundbreaking ceremony held for the Suncoast Parkway.
The Road Ranger traffic assistance system began.
SunPass® Prepaid Toll Program branding
Damage to HEFT from Hurricane Andrew
Veterans Expressway construction and opening
Seminole Expressway construction and opening
Southern Connector Extension visuals
Polk Parkway construction
Suncoast Parkway groundbreaking
Turnpike headquarters construction at Turkey Lake
Newspaper clippings and roadway signage from the era
The new Turnpike headquarters opened for business.
SunPass lanes opened on the Veterans Expressway.
Ribbon‑cutting ceremony held at the new Turnpike headquarters at milepost 263 in Ocoee.
The Turnpike Operations Center in Pompano Beach was renamed the Eleanor Register Building.
SunPass lanes opened on:
Bee Line West
Seminole Expressway
Southern Connector Extension
Northern Coin System
Ticket System on the Mainline
The Suncoast Parkway opened.
Governor Jeb Bush signed House Bill 261, changing Florida’s Turnpike District into Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise.
Ribbon‑cutting ceremony for the Seminole Expressway, Project 2.
Groundbreaking ceremony for the 11‑mile Western Beltway, Part C.
The Bee Line Expressway was renamed the Martin Andersen Beachline Expressway.
SR 429 was designated as the Daniel Webster Western Beltway.
Ribbon‑cutting ceremony for the Western Beltway, Part C.
The road opened to traffic one week later.
SR 710 Interchange in Palm Beach County opened as the first fully SunPass‑only interchange.
July 2006: THEA opened the Selmon Crosstown Expressway, featuring the first reversible open‑road tolling gantry in the U.S.
SunPass Mini transponders went on sale in south and west‑central Florida.
Central Florida followed in November.
Turnpike headquarters building was rededicated as the Senator Daniel Webster Building.
Ribbon‑cutting ceremony held for the new Pompano Operations Center building.
New Turnpike headquarters at Ocoee
SunPass lanes and equipment
Suncoast Parkway opening
Seminole Expressway Project 2 ceremony
Western Beltway Part C construction and ribbon‑cutting
Selmon Crosstown reversible tolling gantry
SunPass Mini promotional materials
Pompano Operations Center building
All‑electronic tolling (AET) activated on the Turnpike Extension.
SunPass became interoperable in North Carolina.
The I‑4 / Selmon Expressway Connector opened.
SunPass became interoperable in Georgia.
Groundbreaking for the Turnpike’s Minneola interchange.
Ribbon‑cutting ceremony for the 70,000‑square‑foot SunPass Centralized Customer Service System (CCSS) in Ocoee, FL.
Grand opening ribbon‑cutting ceremony for the Turnpike’s Minneola interchange.
Florida’s Turnpike broke ground for SunTrax in Auburndale, FL.
The First Coast Expressway opened as an all‑electronic tolling (AET) road in Jacksonville.
SunPass interoperability signage (NC Quick Pass, Georgia)
I‑4 / Selmon Expressway Connector
Minneola interchange groundbreaking and ribbon‑cutting
SunTrax construction imagery
SunPass CCSS facility in Ocoee
AET activation visuals and roadway signage
The Suncoast Parkway was fully converted to all‑electronic tolling (AET).
Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise announced it would join the E‑ZPass Network, expanding interoperability for customers along the U.S. East Coast and parts of the Midwest.
Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise took a major step toward national toll interoperability by accepting E‑ZPass on its toll roads.
This milestone coincided with the launch of the SunPass PRO™ transponder.
The Suncoast Parkway was extended 13 miles northward from US 98 to SR 44 in Lecanto, increasing connectivity in West Central Florida.
Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise expanded toll interoperability through successful completion of interoperability between the Southeast and Central Hubs.
SunPass PRO™ became the most interoperable transponder in the nation.
Groundbreaking for the Central Polk Parkway / SR 570B.
Groundbreaking ceremony for Suncoast Parkway 2 / SR 589 Extension from SR 44 to CR 486 in Citrus County.
Ribbon‑cutting ceremony for the grand opening of SunTrax, a 475‑acre facility designed to develop and test emerging transportation technologies.
Suncoast Parkway AET conversion
E‑ZPass and SunPass PRO™ interoperability signage
Suncoast Parkway extension construction
Central Polk Parkway groundbreaking
Suncoast Parkway 2 groundbreaking
SunTrax facility and ribbon‑cutting imagery