Hurricane Irma: Florida Suspends Tolls Statewide

TALLAHASSEE, FL — As thousands of Floridians consider evacuating ahead of Hurricane Irma’s possible arrival in the Sunshine State, Gov. Rick Scott has suspended all tolls. The move is hoped to expedite evacuations while helping ease the flow of hurricane supplies into the state.

Tolls, Scott said in a Tuesday statement, “will be suspended for the duration of the storm’s impacts to Florida. Ensuring the safety of Florida families and visitors is our top priority and suspending tolls statewide will help people quickly evacuate and make it easier for all Floridians to access important hurricane supplies to ensure they are fully prepared.” (For more hurricane news or local news from Florida, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from Sarasota Patch, and click here to find your local Florida Patch. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

Watch: Another Powerful Hurricane Is Taking Aim At The US

As of the National Hurricane Center’s 2 p.m. Sept. 5 update, Irma was packing maximum sustained winds of 185 mph as she headed toward the Leeward Islands. The powerful Category 5 storm is following a projected path that is expected to bring her into contact with Florida over the weekend.

Although the storm’s course remains uncertain, the Florida Keys are under an evacuation order as of Wednesday morning. Scott has also declared a state of emergency for all 67 counties and activated the Florida National Guard. Meanwhile, counties across the state are issuing sandbags and urging residents to prepare.

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