TAMPA, Fla. — The Selmon Expressway Extension opens Monday to Bay Area drivers. 

Tampa City leaders hope it will cut down commute times and make it easier for people to get from as far east as Brandon to Pinellas County.

Work started on the extension in late 2018 and officials said drivers who use it can cut their drive time in half.

The extension stands 30-feet above the ground and is a 1.9-mile toll lane seamlessly connecting Hillsborough and Pinellas County.

On it, drivers have a choice to either stay on Gandy Boulevard or use the Selmon West Extension to pass through. It costs $0.95 with a SunPass or $1.32 with a toll-by-plate.

The extension cost about $230 million to build, but no taxpayer dollars were used. Toll revenues and bonds fully funded the project.