alligator alley

Florida DOT says they got no bids for the toll concession they were offering on Alligator Alley. Four major international groups had registered interest and been advanced to the bid stage. There was already one delay in the deadline for bids.

Jacksonville Florida's Outer Beltway project is being revived. Legislation has just been passed clarifying uncertainties in the state's tax treatment of toll concessions, and Governor Crist is expected to sign it any day. Florida DOT's lawyer in charge of toll concession procurement Clay McGonagill told us this morning: "This (legislation) removes a major stumbling block. It's a big help.

Florida DOT is giving bidders for the Alligator Alley (I-75) toll concession an extra ten days. Bidders have told FDOT they need more time beyond the latest May 8 bid deadline in order to put borrowings in place.

New deadline for bids is May 18.

The global financial crisis has prompted the postponement of the bid deadline for a toll concession to operate Alligator Alley (I-75) across southern Florida. Florida DOT, the concession grantor says the new deadline is May 8. Previously bids were due Jan 9.

A statement by FDOT says that the global financial uncertainty adversely affected the ability of potential bidders to move forward at this time. Potential bidders had asked for the delay.

A Brisa, CCR, JPMorgan team titled A2 Transportation Partners (A2TP) topped the score in a rating of firms qualifications for the Alligator Alley toll concession in Florida. A2TP was followed by Cintra-led team (Everglades Parkway Partners) and Atlantia the big Italian motorway operator previously named Autostrade. Brisa is the leading toll motorway operator in Portugal and CCR in Brazil.

Eight firms submitted qualifications in the first stage of a longterm lease of the 125km (78 mile) I-75 east-west tollroad from the Miami area to Naples Florida.

The eight are:

- OHL-Carlyle

- Abertis

- Atlantia (formerly Autostada) & ETC

- Brisa-CCR-JPMorgan

- Macquarie

Florida DOT will be holding an industry forum in late April in Orlando to explore "monetization, including leasing" of Alligator Alley. Alligator Alley is the nickname adopted as a real name for the east-west highway on the southern end of I-75 - a 125km (78 mile) 2+2 lane expressway that runs from the northwestern suburbs of metropolitan Miami due west across the peninsula to Naples on the Gulf coast.