Beach goers will not be asked to pay the $1 Bob Sikes toll to Pensacola Beach for the Blue Angels airshow. On Tuesday morning, the Visit Pensacola board of directors unanimously agreed to waive the toll fee after District 4 Commissioner Robert Bender approached them with the idea as a way to reduce traffic during one of the busiest weekends on Pensacola Beach. From 12 a.m. Thursday, July 11 to 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 14,
all lanes will be open for all drivers, with no need to stop at the toll booth. SunPass holders will also not be charged during this period for Bob Sikes Bridge usage ONLY.
For a full list of the weekend’s events and more information on the Blue Angels Pensacola Beach Airshow, visit
www.visitpensacola.com.
Commissioner Bender sponsored the $1 toll last weekend to reduce heavy traffic during the busy Fourth of July weekend. The waived fee resulted in a dramatic reduction in travel time, with the average travel time as low as 10 minutes from Gulf Breeze to Pensacola Beach.
"We want to give a big thank you to Visit Pensacola for waiving the toll fee this weekend and allowing residents and visitors alike the chance to spend less time in traffic and more time enjoying the Blue Angels Airshow weekend," Commissioner Bender said." We've seen a significant decrease in travel times during the last couple of weeks when we've eliminated cash pay options and are working toward a long-term solution."
Visit
myescambia.com/pensacolabeachtraffic to view the two new live traffic cameras, learn more about SunPass, purchase an annual pass and view beach flag conditions.
