The Friday debut of a High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lane experiment in Florida was marred by accidents and confusion. More than $35 million in federal gas tax dollars were used to create the "95 Express" project that converted existing High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes in toll lanes on Interstate 95 between downtown Miami and Fort Lauderdale. The lanes were opened Friday for free while officials tested the systems involved. The project's final cost is expected to reach $264 million.
"Look, it's unfortunate that there were three major accidents along the corridor today," Florida Department of Transportation project manager Debora Rivera told the Miami Herald. "Not to minimize the impact th[...]