Florida

There's value in retaining local or regional toll authorities, and doubtful validity to claims that consolidation into a state toller will bring increased efficiencies - according to a Reason Foundation paper by Robert Poole and Daryl Fleming.

The regional planning organization of the Orlando area termed MetroPlan has approved the new Wekiva Parkway tollroad. Approval was regarded as more than a formality since the project was seen by some as taking money that has better uses. However the vote in favor was 17 to 2 according to the Orlando Sentinel.

The project is in a lightly developed northern section of the metro area but it will complete  belt route add well as providing improved mobility east-west across the north of the built-up area.

All at a high cost however of $1.7b for 25 miles.

Within a few weeks Florida Turnpike Enterprise will begin procurement of 3- or 4-mode readers to allow them to read E-ZPass transponders.

Under the latest agreement between Orlando Orange County Expressway Authority (OOCEA) and Florida DOT/Turnpike the troubled regional authority will build just two of eight segments. The other six will be a state responsibility. And in order to get the state to take on the project OOCEA is agreeing to accelerate payments on an old loan from the state - called in the obscure language of these deals a 'lease purchase agreement' with the state.

Orlando Orange County mayor Teresa Jacobs is on a campaign to force out Mike Snyder as chief executive of the Orlando Orange County Expressway Authority (OOCEA.) She accuses Snyder of mismanaging the toll system's finances so seriously its financial stability is in jeopardy. Jacobs as local mayor is one of five members of the Authority's board of directors.

PROGRAM DIRECTOR

This position is responsible for assisting and supporting Faneuil's client in achieving overall growth and customer satisfaction and ensures that client requirements and goals are achieved.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Provide the organizational structure and processes to ensure ability to deliver on client requirements in a timely and quality driven manner for an operation that spans the entire state of Florida.

A 15 mile, 24km segment of Jacksonville Florida's First Coast Outer Beltway should be into construction by next year with funding from Florida's Turnpike Enterprise.

Declaring gas tax financing of roads "not sustainable" the Florida secretary of transportation Ananth Prasad said recently that tolls will be the first choice for financing all new capacity and doing major bridge replacements in Florida.

A proposed Florida state takeover of regional toll authorities in Orlando and Tampa has been averted - for now. The takeover passed the state Senate, but a budget deal between state House speaker and Senate president today omits the measure, apparently making it "moot" for now.

Regional toll authority buyouts of state-owned tollroads are being proposed as an alternative to Florida DOT moves to take over regional toll authorities. The Tampa Chamber of Commerce and other local groups are proposing a "public partnership" in which they'd pay Florida DOT and the state Turnpike Enterprise an upfront fee in return for their regional tollroads.