To help speed evacuations ahead of what is expected to be a powerful Hurricane Idalia, the state is lifting tolls at 4 a.m. Tuesday in parts of the state.

Gov. Ron DeSantis said Monday he’s directed the Department of Transportation to stop collecting tolls in Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Lake, Pasco, Pinellas and Sumter counties.

“You don’t need to leave the state. You don’t need to drive 100 miles to ride out the storm,” DeSantis said during a news conference at the state Emergency Operations Center. “If you’re in those low-lying areas, the reason why they (local officials) are advising you to evacuate is because you’re going to be susceptible to storm surge.”

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise (FTE) will suspend toll collection at 4:00 a.m. EST on Tuesday, Aug. 29, for a seven-day period, with tolls being reinstated on Tuesday, Sept. 5, at noon.

Locally, this includes:

Pinellas County
Pinellas Bayway (S.R. 679)
Sunshine Skyway Bridge (U.S. 19)

Hillsborough County
I-4 Connector
Selmon Expressway (S.R. 618)
Veterans Expressway (S.R. 589)
Suncoast Parkway (S.R. 589)