Florida Department of Transportation

History

The State Road Department, the predecessor of today's Department of Transportation, was authorized in 1915 by the Florida Legislature. For the first two years of its existence, the department acted as an advisory body to the 52 counties in the state, helping to assemble maps and other information on roads.

The 1916 Bankhead Act passed by Congress expanded the department's responsibilities and gave it the authority to: establish a state and state-aid system of roads, engage in road construction and maintenance, acquire and own land, exercise the right of eminent domain, and accept federal or local funds for use in improving roads.

The Office of Motor Carrier Compliance created in 1980 transitioned from the Florida Department of Transportation to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) division of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) on July 1, 2011. The consolidation is a result of Senate Bill 2160, passed by lawmakers during the 2011 Legislative Session, and placed the commercial vehicle licensing, registrations, fuel permits, and enforcement all under the purview of DHSMV.

Structure

The Florida Transportation Commission, made up of nine commissioners chosen by Florida's governor and Legislature, provides oversight for the state's department of transportation (DOT).

The department consists of seven geographic districts. In May 1994, an eighth district was formed for the state's Turnpike System. In April 2002, the Turnpike district expanded as Florida's Turnpike Enterprise (FTE) and operates as the business unit for the department. The FTE owns and maintains 511 mi of toll roads.

Each district is managed by a district secretary. The department also owns and maintains other toll roads and bridges: the Garcon Point Bridge, Sunshine Skyway Bridge, Alligator Alley, the Beachline East Expressway, the Pinellas Bayway, and the Seminole and Lake County portions of otherwise Central Florida Expressway Authority owned roads. Tolls on all department-owned facilities are collected by Florida's Turnpike Enterprise. In addition, FDOT operates and manages several park-and-ride lots and Commuter Assistance Programs throughout the state. The seven districts each have a Districtwide Commuter Assistance Program.

Districts

Florida has seven transportation districts and a separate unit for tolled facilities under Florida's Turnpike Enterprise. Each district is managed by a district secretary. Each district also has major divisions for administration, planning, production, and operations.

Notable projects

In 1954, the State Road Department completed the original Sunshine Skyway Bridge, the first fixed span to connect Saint Petersburg directly to Bradenton. This greatly shortened the travel time between the two cities, as before cars would have to either use a ferry or drive about 70 mi around Tampa Bay. A parallel span was completed in 1971 to make the bridge Interstate standard, and it became part of I-275. After the newer, southbound span was destroyed in 1980 when the SS Summit Venture collided into it, a replacement bridge was finished in 1987.

In 1974, FDOT completed Florida's Turnpike, a 312 mi limited access toll highway that connected the panhandle area through Orlando to Miami. The turnpike is part of an initiative to finance transportation with user fees.

References

References

1. "Florida Statutes 334.044 Powers and duties of the department". Florida Legislature.
2. (June 29, 2011). "Motor Carrier Compliance officers become "troopers" July 1, 2011". Florida Highway Patrol.
3. (2011). "SB 2160: Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles".
4. "About the Commission, Florida Transportation Commission.".
5. "About".
6. "Florida's Turnpike History - The 1990s: A Decade of Expansion".
7. "Florida's Turnpike History - The 2000s: Moving Into the 21st Century".
8. Florida Department of Transportation. (2020). "Districts". Florida Department of Transportation.
9. "Florida's Turnpike: The Less Stressway".