RFP for new toll collection system Gasparilla Island Bridge Authority FL (ADVERTISEMENT)

Gasparilla Island Bridge Authority (GIBA) of Boca Grande Florida is requesting proposals for a Toll System Replacement Program. GIBA operates a swing bridge that constitutes the only road access from mainland Florida to three barrier islands on the Gulf Coast known as North, Cole and Gasparilla Islands, located approximately between Fort Myers and Sarasota.

The swing bridge which opened in 1958 replacing a ferry spans a pair of 80-foot wide channels of the Intra Coastal Waterway. Privately built, the bridge and associated causeway and toll system was taken over by GIBA, a special independent district of the state of Florida, in 1998.

GIBA has a toll plaza with three toll lanes collecting tolls westward or island-bound. There is a fourth non-tolled  lane through the plaza for traffic eastward off the island. Most of the existing toll collection equipment was installed in 2000.

GovScience Consulting Group LLC of Lansdowne VA and Wayne NJ is representing GIBA in the toll system replacement procurement. 

In the lanes GovScience has recommended:

- replacing barcode scanners with proximity card readers for regular users

- new lane controller software

- new patron fare displays

- new touch screen monitors and receipt printers,

- new treadle frames and strips

Major replacement and upgrades are recommended for the toll systems in the administration building including new plaza management host computers and backup, and new software.

Tolls for cars are $4 cash and there are discount programs for a minimum of 30 trips and unlimited usage trips with a card or decal. Vehicle classification is required to support separate tolls for bicycles and larger vehicles.

GIBA has over 10,000 accounts to manage.

Toll transactions are 35% cash and 65% by card account.

Last year average annual daily traffic was 2,477.  In March, the peak month, average daily traffic was 3,552.

The above is a rough summary only. The official RFP is a 94 page pdf which is downloadable via this link

http://www.govscience.com/clientdocs/GIBA%20RFP%20Final_022009.pdf

TOLLROADSnews 2009-02-23