Florida Senate passes bill to create 3 new toll highways

Florida could build three new toll highways under a bill overwhelmingly passed by the Senate.

The bill passed on a 37-1 vote and is a priority for Republican Senate President Bill Galvano. It calls for three highways to help spur job growth in rural areas, relieve congestion on Interstate 75 and provide new hurricane evacuation routes.

One would connect Collier County in the southwest to Lakeland, located between Tampa and Orlando. Another would extend the Suncoast Parkway from Citrus County to Jefferson County, which borders Georgia. The other would extend from the north end of the Florida Turnpike to the Suncoast Parkway.

The House still needs to approve the projects.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.