Think There’s More Traffic On Pensacola Beach These Days? You’re Right.

June 8, 2022

If you think there’s more traffic lately on Pensacola Beach, you’re right.

Last Saturday, June 4, a record 23,543 vehicles passed through the toll plaza, according to Escambia County. That broke a recent record of 22,909 on May 7.

The county installed a vehicle counter at the toll booth in 2016.

“It’s incredibly exciting to see another record-breaking weekend just a few days into summer vacation,” said Escambia County District 4 Commissioner Robert Bender, whose district includes Pensacola Beach. “Since the Bob Sikes Toll Plaza switched to electronic billing in 2020, we have noticed a reduction in travel times, leading to increased confidence for everyone coming to Pensacola Beach. Breaking a record so close to the previous one shows that Escambia County is poised for another successful summer season. We’re working closely with our tourism partners to provide a positive experience on Pensacola Beach for locals and visitors alike, and we are all eager to see how the remainder of the summer plays out.”

In April 2020, the Bob Sikes Toll Booth went to all electronic tolling, which means drivers do not have to stop and are encouraged to keep driving through the toll booth. A $1 toll will be collected from all vehicles traveling to Pensacola Beach / Santa Rosa Island via the Bob Sikes Toll Bridge. The $1 toll is collected electronically using SunPass®, E-Pass, North Carolina Quick Pass, Georgia Peach Pass, PayTollo app or TOLL-BY-PLATE.

For TOLL-BY-PLATE users, the toll is still $1 each time you pass through the toll plaza, plus a $2.50 administrative fee that is charged each billing cycle (once per month.) No matter the number of trips you take to the beach, you will only be charged the administration fee once per billing cycle.

Comments

7 Responses to “Think There’s More Traffic On Pensacola Beach These Days? You’re Right.”

  1. gmp on June 9th, 2022 12:56 am

    Still nowhere near enough parking though

  2. hawk on June 8th, 2022 5:07 pm

    I want to punish myself for no good reason, so I am going to the beach

  3. Robin Schofield on June 8th, 2022 12:55 pm

    I would think it’s a sign of people being sick of COVID restrictions.

  4. Edward Magowan on June 8th, 2022 12:26 pm

    Why are people still being paid to “promote tourism”? This isn’t some quiet backwater few people have heard of, we’ve already reached critical mass. Overcrowding is the problem now. Unlike other tourist areas I’ve live in, none of the businesses on the beach offer a discount to locals, on or off season.

  5. Fred Hart on June 8th, 2022 12:08 pm

    I object to electronic tolls in both theory and application. They are just plain wrong.
    As to easing congestion on the beach, I guess it is successful in one small
    respect .I don’t go there anymore.

  6. Bob on June 8th, 2022 10:07 am

    Last year before I got my SunPass I was using TOLL-BY-PLATE for approximately 6 weeks. I was charged a $2.50 administrative fee approximately 4 times. When I called them they told me they have multiple billing cycles per month. I told her what was reported by the local media and she told me that was wrong.

    Anyone else have the same problem?

  7. Josh Jones on June 8th, 2022 8:53 am

    Is this an indication of how bad folks are suffering from high gas prices?

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News