Highway authority in Florida
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, Polk, 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]
The Wekiva Parkway, the final piece of a beltway around Orlando, was completed through Lake and Orange Counties in January 2024.[3]
CFX operates an electronic toll collection system known as E-PASS, one of the first systems of its kind in the United States.[citation needed] 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.[4][5]
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.[6]
The current 25-year plan, the "2040 Master Plan", was approved in May 2016.[7] Included are two new toll connections to Brevard County (including an extension of SR 408), a southern bypass of SR 417 to Florida's Turnpike south of St. Cloud, a connection bypassing the three remaining signalized intersections on SR 414, and a connection from the Western Beltway to U.S. Highway 27 south of Clermont.[8]
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.[9][10]
Canceled projects
The Central Connector, known by the Florida Department of Transportation as State Road 529[11] (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.
