2025 Florida Transportation Plan (HTML version)

Citizens of Florida:

I am pleased to submit to you the 2025 Florida Transportation Plan, which provides the policy framework for allocating over $161 billion in funding that will be spent to meet the transportation needs of residents, tourists, and business people between now and 2025. The Florida Transportation Plan (FTP) serves as Florida's statewide transportation plan and identifies the goals and objectives for the next 20 years to address the needs of the entire state transportation system.

The FTP is a plan for all of Florida, not just the Florida Department of Transportation, and it will take the collective efforts of many entities to implement the FTP. A committee of 45 people worked together throughout 2005 to develop recommended long range goals and objectives for the 2025 FTP through a facilitated consensus building process. The committee members represented all levels of government, all modes of transportation, the private sector, economic development organizations, environmental interests, and all regions of the state. Extensive public and partner involvement was used to support the committee's work. Two statewide summits, 14 regional forums, 6 focus group meetings, 43 briefings at regularly scheduled meetings of transportation partners, and an interactive website and email system contributed to this process. These activities provided extensive opportunities to provide input into the development of the FTP.

Like any dynamic plan, the Florida Transportation Plan will continue to be revised to respond to new ideas, as well as changes in social, economic, and environment factors affecting our transportation system and travel needs. I encourage your continued participation in setting the course for Florida's 21st Century transportation system.

Sincerely,
Denver J. Stutler, Jr., P.E.
Secretary
Florida Department of Transportation

-- Return to Top --

Introduction

The early 21st century is a period of unique opportunity for Florida. The Sunshine State is positioned to become an international leader in economic growth and prosperity. The state also is positioned to provide many of the most livable communities in the nation for residents and visitors alike, while preserving the state's diverse yet fragile environment.

A competitive economy, livable communities, and a sustainable environment will require a world-class transportation system. Federal, state, regional, local, and private entities will invest billions of dollars in this system over the next two decades. These investments will be a key determinant of whether Florida is able to meet its economic and livability goals.

The 2025 Florida Transportation Plan (FTP) identifies goals, objectives, and strategies to guide transportation decisions in Florida over the next 20 years. The FTP addresses how Florida's transportation system can meet the mobility needs of our growing population, help make our economy more competitive, help build great communities, and help preserve our natural environment. The FTP also addresses how to ensure that our transportation system is safe and secure in a time of unprecedented public concern. Finally, the FTP provides guidance on how transportation investments should be focused during a time of constrained funding, as well as how public and private transportation partners can most effectively work together to make these decisions.

A committee of 45 people worked together throughout 2005 to develop the 2025 FTP. The committee members represented all levels of government, all modes of transportation, the private sector, economic development organizations, environmental interests, and all regions of the state. Extensive public and partner involvement was used to support the committee's work. Two statewide summits, 14 regional forums, 6 focus group meetings, 43 briefings at regularly scheduled meetings of transportation partners, and an interactive website and email system contributed to this process.

The FTP is a plan for all of Florida, not just the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). It will take the collective efforts of many entities, each with well-defined roles and responsibilities, to implement the FTP. Although FDOT has the lead role for the statewide movement of people and goods, it shares responsibilities with other public and private interests for improving system safety and security, preserving and operating transportation facilities, and meeting regional and local mobility needs.

The FTP examines trends that are expected to influence what Florida will look like in 2025 and implications of these trends for transportation. Long range goals, objectives, and implementation guidance identify how we, as a state, can achieve the desired results and monitor progress along the way. This FTP differs from previous plans by focusing on transportation's role in supporting economic competitiveness, community building, and conservation planning and by giving greater attention to financing needed transportation improvements. The FTP focuses on achieving identified goals and strategies by clearly defining roles, responsibilities, and accountability for implementing the FTP, with greater emphasis on regional transportation planning.

Like any dynamic plan, the FTP will continue to be revised to respond to new ideas, as well as changes in social, economic, and environmental factors affecting our transportation system and travel needs. Your continued participation in setting the course for Florida's future transportation system is encouraged.

-- Return to Top --

Moving Together - Florida in 2025

For more than a century, Florida's transportation system has adapted to growth and changes in the state's economy and communities. The extension of rail service from Jacksonville to the rest of the peninsula, the development of the federal Interstate Highway System and urban expressways, the introduction of urban transit systems, the expansion of Florida's seaports to accommodate modern container and cruise ships, the introduction of the transcontinental jet, and innovations in space travel all have contributed to continued prosperity and livability in the state.

Florida's transportation system must adapt once again to keep pace with our changing communities and economy. The transportation system must support increasing demand for mobility of both people and freight resulting from a growing population and economy. The transportation system also must support the development of livable communities by enhancing connectivity and accessibility among the places people live, work, and spend their free time. This increased mobility must meet rising business and household expectations for safety, security, efficiency, and reliability in a way that preserves Florida's rich environment.

Florida must decide how to meet these demands during a period of constrained public and private sector funding. The 2025 Florida Transportation Plan (FTP) establishes a policy framework to guide investment in the transportation system by all public and private partners. This framework builds upon an understanding of the trends and issues facing transportation in Florida over the next 20 years.

-- Return to Top --

A Growing and More Diverse State . . .

Florida has long been one of the nation's fastest growing states. This rapid growth is expected to continue over the next two decades and by 2025, it is anticipated that:

• The state's population will grow to 24.4 million residents, an increase of 40 percent over 2004 levels or over 900 new residents per day;
• The population over the age of 65 will grow to 5.8 million residents, an increase of 92 percent over 2004 levels and a dramatic increase in the need for specialized mobility options;
• The state's employment base will grow to more than 11.6 million jobs, an increase of 45 percent over 2004 levels;
• The number of interstate and international visitors to Florida will exceed more than 92 million per year, an increase of 23 percent over 2003 levels; and
• The volume of domestic and international freight moving to, from, and within Florida will increase to 1.5 million tons per year, an increase of 78 percent from 2001 levels.

This growth will continue to increase the demand for people and freight movement to, from, and within Florida. Current projections indicate the demand for nearly all modes of transportation will increase at a higher rate than population and employment over the next two decades.

At the same time, major shifts in Florida's demographic mix will change the types of transportation required by residents, visitors, and businesses. The number of elderly, students, visitors, disabled persons, and others with specific transportation needs will continue to grow.

The state's growth will remain focused in its urbanized areas, which accounted for nearly 90 percent of all residents in 2000, up from 85 percent in 1990. Many of these urban areas will continue to grow across county lines as Florida's economy increasingly competes at a regional level. Nearly one out of every five Florida workers commuted to work across county lines in 2000, a share that is expected to rise through 2025.

-- Return to Top --

. . . and a Better Place to Live, Work, and Do Business

Florida is responding to these projections of sustained growth with a concerted effort to ensure that the next few decades are a period of economic prosperity and high quality of life. Public and private initiatives envision how Florida could create:

• A globally competitive economy. Florida's Strategic Plan for Economic Development envisions Florida becoming the "innovation hub of the Americas," creating high-paying jobs in service, information, and technology industries. These types of businesses typically demand faster and more reliable transportation options. More businesses are serving global markets, a trend expected to accelerate because of recent and planned free trade agreements. The value of international imports and exports moving to or from Florida is expected to more than double by 2025, reaching nearly $200 billion per year. Florida's economy will benefit if all economic regions - urban, transitioning, and rural - can connect to national and global markets.
• A sustainable environment. New development is consuming land and resources faster than the rate of population growth. From 1964 to 1997, nearly 5 million acres of agricultural land were converted to other uses and the amount of land in urban areas increased from 1.2 million to more than 5 million acres, according to the Urban Land Institute. If current trends continue, more than 2.6 million additional acres will be converted to urban uses by 2020. While urban infill and village concepts are becoming more common, much development has been in a sprawling pattern that increases transportation demand. Development also increasingly encroaches into important wildlife habitats, recreation areas, and other environmentally sensitive land. Regional cooperation on a range of issues from transportation to land use to water resources is critical to ensuring that future growth is balanced with environmental sustainability.
• More livable communities. Today's workers and retirees are the most mobile in history, and increasingly are choosing to locate where the quality of life is highest. New residents and visitors increasingly are attracted to Florida's vibrant urban areas, well-planned suburban communities, and authentic rural villages - particularly those places where transportation systems support community visions.

-- Return to Top --

What Are Florida's Transportation Challenges?

Florida faces many challenges in meeting its future transportation needs:

• Capacity constraints. Most urban and interregional highway corridors are expected to be heavily congested during peak periods by 2025, even after planned transportation improvements are made. More than 30 of the state's airports are projected to be operating at more than 80 percent of capacity, the point at which expanded capacity should be under construction. New aviation and aerospace technologies may also require costly upgrades to airside and landside facilities. Florida's seaports must improve waterside, terminal, and landside infrastructure to handle rapid growth in freight and cruise passenger activity. Significant additional capacity is needed in rail and urban transit systems to provide viable options for moving people and freight within and between urban areas.
• Inadequate intermodal connectivity. Florida's transportation system traditionally has been planned by mode, facility, or ownership. The weakest links often are the connections between modes, such as access from seaports, airports, and other passenger and freight terminals to highways, rail corridors, waterways, and other transportation hubs.
• Continued safety concerns. Although Florida's highway fatality rate has fallen in recent years, it has remained higher than the national average for more than 20 years. In 2004, a total of 3,257 people died on Florida's highways. Nearly one out of three of these deaths occurred in roadway intersections, and nearly one out of five were pedestrians or bicyclists.
• Threats and emergencies. Attention to improving the security of transportation facilities has increased since September 11, 2001. Recent federal and state legislation imposing significant security measures at airports, seaports, and other passenger and freight facilities nationwide have impacted the efficient movement of passengers and freight throughout the state and created additional financial pressures for transportation agencies. Hurricanes and other natural disasters have also highlighted the importance of effective emergency response and the vulnerability of the transportation system to major disruptions.
• Balance between transportation and community livability. The delicate balance between transportation and community livability is becoming more challenging as demand for people and freight mobility continues to rise and choices for locating new development and infrastructure become more constrained. In the past, transportation investments often have focused on the fast movement of vehicles without adequate consideration of community livability. At the same time, rising housing and land costs, as well as some zoning and land regulations adopted in urban areas, encourage sprawling development and longer commuting patterns, adding to the strain on the transportation system and deteriorating the quality of life for residents and visitors.
• Rising costs of transportation. Household, business, and government spending devoted to transportation is increasing rapidly. The increasing cost and instability in the supply of petroleum products is raising concern about the need to improve the fuel efficiency of vehicles, reduce the number of miles traveled by cars and trucks, and use alternatives to single occupant vehicles for personal transportation. The cost of maintaining and improving the transportation system is also increasing steadily due to rising prices for fuel and materials as well as growth in right-of-way costs.
• Insufficient funding. Projected transportation funding from all sources - federal, state, local, and private - will not be sufficient to pay for all needed improvements. Because resources are limited, all transportation partners must work together to make strategic choices, explore new ways of financing transportation, and reduce the cost of providing and operating transportation facilities.

-- Return to Top --

How Should Florida Respond?

The 2025 FTP establishes long range goals, objectives, and implementation guidance to guide the future development of the transportation system. Success will be determined by how well Florida:

• Coordinates investments to ensure an integrated system. Florida's transportation assets must be planned and managed as a single, integrated transportation system, with each facility optimized to serve specific types of travel and transport, whether between regions, within regions, or within communities.
• Safeguards its existing transportation assets. The maintenance and preservation of Florida's transportation assets should remain a high priority. Florida should also preserve capacity on its transportation system to ensure that each component of the system can function as intended. Capacity can be preserved through efficient operation and management of transportation facilities, effective use of technology and information, and closer coordination of transportation and land use decisions.
• Enhances mobility options. Investment in additional transportation capacity should be focused on critical needs including: expanding travel options and modal choices to provide greater use of public transportation; relieving physical and operational bottlenecks; providing more efficient transfers between facilities and modes; and developing new interregional corridors that address major gaps in connectivity and service, particularly in economically distressed areas of the state. These expansions of travel options and modal choices are needed for trips between regions, within regions, and within communities.
• Ensures a safer and more secure transportation system for residents, businesses, and visitors. Safety and security considerations should be integrated into all aspects of transportation planning and implementation, while ensuring passenger and freight mobility. Transportation providers must continue to help identify and deter threats, effectively manage the system during events requiring evacuation, and help minimize incident response times.
• Ensures that the transportation system supports community livability and is implemented in an environmentally responsible manner. The transportation system should encourage conservation of natural resources and sustainable development patterns. Transportation investments at the local level primarily should enhance the livability of Florida's communities. Transportation investments at the statewide or interregional level typically will be oriented towards mobility and economic competitiveness needs and should rest lightly on the built and natural environments.
• Embraces new technology. Florida's transportation partners should proactively develop, evaluate, and apply new technologies to improve the safety, security, and mobility of drivers, passengers, cargo, vehicles, and facilities. These may include new types of infrastructure, such as commercial spaceports and inland ports; new types of vehicles, such as high-speed rail systems or next-generation aircraft and space launch vehicles; new sources of transportation fuel; new ways of assisting drivers, such as in-vehicle navigational, informational, and diagnostic devices; new ways of safely assisting pedestrians and bicyclists in crossing roadways; and new ways of identifying and tracking vehicles, cargo, and other transportation assets.
• Coordinates among all partners. Coordination among the many partners involved in planning and implementing transportation investments must be strengthened. Particular attention should be given to more closely integrating transportation, land use, environmental, and economic development decisions and strengthening regional planning structures and processes.
• Invests to meet its future needs. Florida's transportation partners should develop a variety of revenue sources that can be tailored to the specific needs of local and regional areas, collaborate to maximize available funding, jointly fund projects when feasible, and reduce capital and operating costs where possible. The long-term investment of these resources will be identified in state, metropolitan, and local government plans that will be adopted over the next few years. Revenues available to the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will be invested to achieve FTP goals, meet state and metropolitan priorities and support rural development strategies. The chart below shows planned state investments¹ over the next 20 years, stated in 2006 dollars for consistency with most metropolitan planning organization plans. Without this adjustment, the total amount will be $161 billion.

¹Planned state investments: These estimates are for state and federal transportation funds administered by the FDOT. Funds administered by local governments and the private sector are not included.

-- Return to Top --

Long Range Goals and Objectives

The 2025 Florida Transportation Plan (FTP) includes 5 long range goals and 29 objectives. These goals are related and mutually supportive; indeed, all goals must be accomplished to effectively address the challenges the state will face over the next 20 years.

This is the first FTP to emphasize accountability for implementing the Plan's goals and objectives. This emphasis will result in stronger leadership, improved coordination, and better working relationships among all responsible entities. High-level implementation responsibilities and strategies have been identified for each goal. For detailed policy guidance, see the FTP Steering Committee Final Report: Recommendations for the 2025 Florida Transportation Plan (PDF file - 754 kb).

Goal: A safer and more secure transportation system for residents, businesses, and visitors

Improving the safety of the transportation system is among the state's highest commitments to its residents and visitors. Safety improvements can save lives, enhance our quality of life, and support Florida's economic competitiveness. In today's global environment, it is also important to enhance the security of the transportation system for both people and freight while ensuring mobility. In light of Florida's hurricane vulnerability, effective emergency and related mobility management is especially important to the safety of all Floridians and our visitors. While the Florida Department of Community Affairs' (FDCA) Division of Emergency Management has lead responsibility at the state level, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and other transportation providers have an important role in managing the system during evacuations and assisting with emergency response and recovery activities.

To address its historically high traffic fatality rates, Florida's overarching objective must be to reduce traffic fatalities with special emphasis on high-fatality areas, including intersection, pedestrian, and bicycle fatalities. Safety and security improvements and solutions involve many public partners at the federal, state, and local levels, as well as the private sector, making active coordination and effective working relationships important in achieving statewide objectives.

Long Range Objectives

• Improve the safety of all modes of transportation comprising Florida's transportation system, for all users, including roadway intersections and locations where modes intersect.
• Reduce the rates of motor vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian fatalities and serious injuries through design techniques and the application of the "4 E's" -- engineering, education, enforcement, and emergency response strategies.
• Focus resources proactively where opportunities for safety improvements are greatest, as identified by best available data and trends.
• Improve the security of Florida's transportation system to deter and respond to attacks on transportation facilities or domestic targets, while ensuring mobility for all users.

Implementation Responsibility:

Transportation safety and security involve entities outside of the transportation field and require close coordination and effective working relationships with adequate support at all levels. Safety lead roles involve FDOT and the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (Florida Highway Patrol) at the state level and local governments and metropolitan planning organizations at the local level. Emergency management, including preparedness planning, response, and recovery activities, is primarily the responsibility of FDCA (Florida Department of Community Affairs, Division of Emergency Management) at the state level and of local governments at the local level, working as a team with emergency responders and agencies at federal, state, and local levels as well as private sector and volunteer organizations. Security lead roles involve the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Transportation Security Administration, other designated federal agencies, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, with FDOT and other transportation partners in a shared role focused on improving security of the transportation system.

Key Implementation Strategies:

• Include a safety improvement element with accountability measures in all aspects of transportation, from planning through implementation and operations.
• Implement security policies and strategies to deter and respond to attacks on the transportation system and to deter use of the system to carry out attacks against domestic targets, while maintaining the intended function of the system.
• Improve the safety of roads in rural and economically distressed areas.
• Increase the use of intelligent transportation systems technology as a tool to improve transportation safety and security.
• Improve compatibility of communications and other critical equipment used by FDOT and federal, state, and local safety and security responders.
• Support safe and efficient mobility for affected people, freight, services, and response personnel before, during, and after emergencies through appropriate connectivity among all elements of the transportation system and through coordinated planning among all partners.
• Ensure that national security transportation needs involving Florida's military facilities can be met during normal and elevated security periods in future planning for the Strategic Intermodal System (SIS) and regional and local facilities connecting military facilities to the SIS, including those that are part of the federal Strategic Highway Network (STRAHNET) or the federal Strategic Rail Corridor Network (STRACNET). Planning for these military needs should occur in coordination with the U.S. Department of Defense and other appropriate partners.
• Implement geographic information system capabilities for plotting crash data and provide statewide access to all safety partners.
• Consider the travel information needs of Florida's foreign visitors and non-English speaking residents where appropriate.

-- Return to Top --

Goal: Enriched quality of life and responsible environmental stewardship

Transportation decisions should be made with the goal of livable communities in mind. Ideally, these decisions should enhance the characteristics of the community that make it livable; at a minimum, they should have little or no adverse effect on those characteristics. A key consideration in the decision making process should be the evaluation of the benefits of a proposed transportation action and the possible detriments to communities. To the maximum extent feasible, transportation projects should be designed and built to be compatible and consistent with community visions.

Transportation planning and decision making, including project selection, should also be integrated and coordinated with land use, water, and natural resource planning and management. The identification and resolution of a full range of environmental concerns should occur early in the transportation planning and project development process.

Long Range Objectives:

• Plan, develop, and implement transportation facilities and services with communities and agencies to enhance the livability of communities. If enhancement is not possible, avoid or minimize adverse impacts to communities.
• Make transportation decisions that conserve and optimize non-renewable resources and promote the use of renewable resources (materials, facilities, and sources of energy) and include strategies to decrease greenhouse gases and air pollutants.
• Plan, develop, implement, and fund the transportation system to accommodate the human scale, including pedestrian, bicycle, transit-oriented, and other community-enhancing features unless inappropriate.
• Improve coordination of land use and transportation decisions among state government, local governments, and metropolitan planning organizations to ensure that future growth is sustainable.
• Optimize the efficiency of Florida's transportation system by implementing operational, management, access, and land use strategies that support the intended use of each element of the system identified as part of evolving statewide, regional, or community visions.
• Provide opportunities for early and continuing proactive public involvement in the transportation decision making process, including easily understood and complete information, timely public notice, and full public access to key decisions.
• Plan, design, and construct transportation facilities in a manner that preserves and, where feasible, restores the function and character of the natural environment, and that avoids or minimizes and mitigates adverse impacts.

Implementation Responsibility:

Ensuring that transportation decisions enhance the livability and support the vision of Florida's communities and help preserve and restore Florida's natural systems is the responsibility of all public and private entities that develop transportation facilities. Local, regional, and state agencies have primary responsibility for improving the coordination of land use and transportation decisions.

Key Implementation Strategies:

• Use effective public involvement and context sensitive design to develop transportation facilities that support community visions and enhance quality of life.
• Increase access to and use of alternatives to single-occupant vehicles, and enhance access to and availability of transportation services to persons who are transportation disadvantaged.
• Locate transportation facilities in appropriate and environmentally acceptable areas consistent with sound planning principles that foster sustainable communities.
• Design, build, and maintain transportation facilities in a manner that is consistent with the protection and management of surrounding natural resources and conserves nonrenewable resources.
• Coordinate with federal, state, and local resource agencies to develop regional conservation and mitigation strategies and promote public awareness of these initiatives.

-- Return to Top --

Goal: Adequate and cost-efficient maintenance and preservation of transportation assets

Florida's transportation system - roads, railways, airports, seaports, spaceport, waterways, passenger and freight terminals, transit system, and bicycle and pedestrian facilities - represents an investment of many billions of dollars. Regular maintenance and preservation of these transportation assets keep them operating efficiently, extend their useful life, and delay the need for costly reconstruction or replacement.

Historically, FDOT has placed high priority on maintaining and preserving state roads and bridges and has achieved high levels of performance, as well as cost savings in recent years. All transportation facility owners, in coordination with FDOT acting in a leadership role, should ensure that adequate maintenance and preservation levels are achieved statewide across all modes of transportation and all levels of responsibility.

A particular concern is that commercial motor vehicles carrying loads that exceed lawful weight limits significantly impact pavement wear and increase the cost and frequency of road and bridge maintenance and preservation. This is also the case for trucks hauling overweight or oversize loads by special permit.

Long Range Objectives

• Maintain all elements of the transportation system to protect the public's investment for the future.
• Eliminate the illegal operation of commercial motor vehicles that exceed weight limits on Florida's public roads and bridges.
• Maximize the use of alternative, non-roadway modes to transport overweight and oversize loads.

Implementation Responsibility:

Florida's transportation system consists of many modes of transportation (highways, transit, airports, seaports, waterways, railroads, and the spaceport) that are owned and operated by various levels of government and the private sector. These owners are responsible for performing the maintenance and preservation activities that keep these transportation facilities in good working order.

Key Implementation Strategies:

• Monitor system condition to ensure that all transportation facilities, including bicycle and pedestrian facilities, are adequately maintained and preserved.
• Emphasize use of state-of-the-art technologies and innovative contracting methods to increase the efficiency of system maintenance.
• Create strong cooperative relationships between the state, local governments, and modal partners to minimize pavement impacts of overweight and oversize loads.
• Analyze the process for permitting the transportation of overweight or oversize loads, including the appropriateness of permit fees, and implement any needed improvements.
• Analyze the adequacy of penalties imposed for violations of commercial motor vehicle weight limits and implement any needed improvements.

-- Return to Top --

Goal: A stronger economy through enhanced mobility for people and freight

Florida's economic competitiveness depends on efficient, affordable, and reliable movement of people and goods. As the demand for moving both people and freight continues to increase, Florida must complete a fundamental shift in the way it plans and manages its transportation system. Transportation decisions must be made from the perspective of the trip - that is, the best solution must be identified for moving people or freight between major trip origins and destinations, with these solutions often involving multiple facilities, modes, or jurisdictions. Transportation decisions also must increase transportation choices and modal options that provide accessibility to and connectivity among Florida's economic, community, and recreational assets. This goal addresses three major types of trips - those between regions, states, and nations; those between communities within a common region; and those within communities.

Mobility between Regions, States, and Nations

Florida's Strategic Intermodal System (SIS) serves as the state's highest priority for statewide mobility over the next 20 years. The SIS includes the transportation hubs, corridors, and connectors that are most important to Florida's economic competitiveness.

Long Range Objectives

• Provide for smooth and efficient transfers for both people and freight between transportation modes and between the SIS and other transportation facilities.
• Reduce delay on and improve the reliability of SIS facilities.
• Preserve new capacity on the SIS for projected growth in trips between regions, states, and nations, especially for trips associated with economic competitiveness.
• Expand the use of modal alternatives to SIS highways for travel and transport between regions, states, and nations.
• Establish statewide criteria for identifying and developing new SIS facilities where such facilities are needed to connect the economic regions of the state, especially economically distressed areas, in coordination with regional and community visions.

Mobility within Regions

Regional transportation investments should reflect the balance between facilitating efficient travel and transport and maintaining unique community and environmental resources within each region.

Long Range Objectives

• Develop regional visions and action plans that integrate transportation, land use, economic, community, and environmental systems to guide transportation decisionmaking and investments. Focus attention on meeting regional mobility needs that transcend traditional jurisdictional boundaries, and ensuring connectivity between SIS, regional, and local facilities.
• Facilitate economic development opportunities in Florida's economically distressed areas by improving transportation access from these areas to markets in a manner that reflects regional and community visions.

Mobility within Communities

Local transportation investments primarily should reflect the importance of community- building, based on the unique vision of each urban or rural community.

Long Range Objectives

• Develop multimodal transportation systems that support community visions.
• Expand transportation choices to enhance local mobility and to maintain the performance of the SIS and regionally significant facilities.
• Reduce per capita vehicle miles traveled by single occupant vehicles, especially during peak hours of highway use.
• Ensure that the transportation system is accessible to all users, including young, elderly, disabled, and economically disadvantaged persons.

Implementation Responsibility:

Numerous agencies at the federal, state, regional, and local levels are responsible for meeting mobility needs for both people and freight. Transportation planning and investment responsibilities are shifting over time from the agencies that own or operate individual facilities to partnerships that work together to plan and implement at the statewide, regional, or local levels. FDOT is the lead agency responsible for interregional, interstate, and international mobility - delivered primarily through the SIS - but must work closely through shared decision making with modal partners, other state agencies, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), and local governments to meet these needs. Regional entities - ranging from regional transportation authorities to MPO alliances to new types of organizations that may not exist today - will play the lead role in identifying and addressing regional mobility needs, in partnership with FDOT and local governments. Local governments will have the primary responsibility for identifying and addressing local mobility needs, in partnership with FDOT and regional entities.

Key Implementation Strategies:

• Fully implement the SIS Strategic Plan and update the SIS designation and Strategic Plan at least once every five years based on guidance provided by the initial SIS Strategic Plan and the 2025 FTP.
• Protect the global competitiveness and extend the capacity of SIS hubs by supporting facility upgrades to accommodate new generation vehicles and technology.
• Identify and invest in regionally significant facilities under the Transportation Regional Incentive Program that support regional economic development and growth management strategies.
• Ensure that implementation of the SIS and regional programs gives appropriate attention to the balance between mobility, community, and environmental needs in fast-growing, emerging regions.
• Identify and invest in local transportation infrastructure and services that support locally defined visions and comprehensive plans.
• Make optimal use of existing transportation facilities and services through strategies that address traffic operations, incident and emergency management, access management, and surrounding land uses before expanding those facilities and services.
• Promote more effective use of existing rail and water corridors to move both people and freight.
• Introduce new modal options or develop new transportation hubs or corridors when existing facilities cannot meet mobility or connectivity needs (see inset, below).
• Create institutional structures that support statewide, regional, and local mobility needs, building upon closer coordination between transportation, land use, and economic development decisions.

-- Return to Top --

Goal: Sustainable transportation investments for Florida's future

Investments in our transportation system are investments in the backbone of our state's economy. Transportation revenue sources must be sustainable and predictable so that planned projects — which represent commitments by local governments in their comprehensive plans — are not delayed.

State, metropolitan, and local plans indicate that the costs of needed improvements exceed available revenues. Narrowing the gap will require additional revenues, "joint funding" of projects through public and private partnerships, and major efforts to reduce costs. Many local elected officials believe that they need more flexibility to adopt revenue sources tailored to the specific needs of their jurisdictions and regions and are willing to be held accountable by their constituents for their decisions.

As one example, toll roads and emerging toll technologies can provide higher quality or "premium" service to users as well as additional revenue sources. Users may choose premium service if they are willing to pay more than they would for basic service, such as the use of roads that do not have tolls. Providing this "market choice" is similar to charging higher prices for express bus service than for local bus service.

Long Range Objectives

• Provide sufficient resources to reduce the identified backlog in transportation needs and meet growth needs at the state, regional, and local levels.
• Establish transportation investment priorities recognizing that the SIS meets a strategic and essential state interest, and that regional and local systems must be adequately funded.
• Reduce the cost of providing and operating transportation facilities.
• Document the gap between funding resources (local, regional, state, and federal) and needs across all levels and all modes in a consistent and compatible format.

Implementation Responsibility:

FDOT can serve in a leadership role and be a catalyst in identifying long range needs at all levels, identifying potential new and alternative revenue sources and financial tools, and cost reduction techniques. All partners must cooperate in seeking a consensus among Floridians and state, local, and federal elected officials on how to better meet identified needs.

Key Implementation Strategies:

• Provide greater choices and flexibility for raising sustainable local, regional, and state transportation resources that keep up with inflation.
• Maximize the return of federal funds for all modes.
• Provide state, local, and private sector incentives to encourage joint funding.
• Encourage the use of tolls, user fees, and "market choices" such as express lanes, express buses, and innovative transportation and transit options, consistent with local government comprehensive plans.
• Seek alternative revenue sources to reduce the reliance on traditional sources, such as fuel taxes, that may be negatively affected by changes in vehicle technology or increasing costs.
• Address increasing right-of-way costs through corridor planning, corridor management, advance acquisition, and improvements to the statutory framework for the acquisition process.
• Implement technological improvements that increase efficiency of planning, design, and construction; intelligent transportation systems; and toll facilities operations.
• Systematically identify transportation needs, revenues, and shortfalls in regional, urban, transitioning, and rural areas.

-- Return to Top --

Moving Forward . . . Together

Strong leadership and accountability, improved regional coordination, and measuring and monitoring progress along the way — these activities are essential to successful implementation of the 2025 Florida Transportation Plan (FTP).

Roles and Responsibilities

Achieving the long range goals and objectives will require the sustained and committed efforts of many entities working together. All partners must define their roles and fulfill their responsibilities as we move forward. This attention to accountability in the implementation of the Plan is an essential and new component of the 2025 FTP. This new emphasis is intended to result in stronger leadership, improved coordination, and better working relationships among all responsible entities as we work together to achieve the 2025 FTP goals.

Lead roles, shared roles, and supporting roles have been identified for each of the FTP's 29 long range objectives. Entities with potential implementation responsibilities have been grouped into nine categories and assigned roles for implementing long range objectives, as appropriate. In addition, the need for legislative action in conjunction with implementation of an objective has also been indicated where appropriate. The FTP Steering Committee Final Report: Recommendations for the 2025 Florida Transportation Plan (PDF file - 754 kb) includes tables that identify roles and responsibilities for each long range objective.

The roles and responsibilities of Florida's major transportation partners are summarized below:

• The Governor and Legislature will continue to provide leadership to ensure that the state's transportation policy framework and overall investment level enables the transportation system to support Florida's economic, community, and environmental goals.
• The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will continue to serve as the state's primary transportation agency and the overall lead for maintaining and implementing the FTP, including monitoring the progress toward the 29 objectives in the Plan. In addition, FDOT will carry out several critical responsibilities in support of the 2025 FTP:
  • Continue to manage and operate the State Highway System, responsible for ensuring the safety and preservation of this system, working cooperatively with regional and local partners;
  • Play the lead role in enhancing mobility for international, interstate, and interregional trips, primarily through its oversight and implementation of the Strategic Intermodal System (SIS) Strategic Plan;
  • Provide support to regional and local partners to enhance the mobility of trips within regions and within communities;
  • Serve as one of the state's lead partners in implementing the FTP's safety objectives and developing a culture of safety within the transportation community;
  • Play a critical support role in addressing security and emergency response needs related to transportation, working with federal, other state, and local agencies;
  • Play a stronger role than in the past for ensuring that transportation investments support livable communities and preserve Florida's environment, building upon recent progress through the Efficient Transportation Decision Making initiative;
  • Serve as a catalyst in working with statewide, regional, and local partners to enhance statewide estimates of transportation funding needs and shortfalls and to identify strategies for reducing the funding gap;
  • Proactively pursue increased funding at the federal level; and
  • Convene Florida's transportation partners periodically to review progress in implementing the Plan and address emerging or outstanding issues.
• Other state agencies will play an increasing role in coordinating transportation plans and investments with land use, economic development, community, environmental, public safety, security, and emergency response activities. Specific roles are identified in the Plan for the Florida Department of Community Affairs, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Enterprise Florida Inc., the Florida Space Authority, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
• Metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) will continue to fulfill their statutory role of developing, in cooperation with the state, transportation plans and programs in metropolitan areas with 50,000 or more residents. In keeping with the 2025 FTP and the recent SAFETEA-LU legislation, the role of MPOs in addressing transportation safety, security, and operations will continue to grow. In addition, implementation of the 2005 Growth Management Bill (Chapter 2005-290, Laws of Florida) and the 2025 FTP objectives related to regional planning will enhance coordination among adjacent MPOs and local governments within common regions, as well as consideration of the impact of transportation plans and programs on land use, economic development, community, and environmental systems.
• Local governments will have the lead role in designing, constructing, operating, and maintaining local transportation systems, with emphasis on supporting community visions. Local governments also will play the lead role in planning and developing state-owned facilities that primarily serve a local function, including those cases where the state may contribute investment dollars. Specific coordination roles are identified for local law enforcement, emergency response, economic development, and land management agencies.
• Regional entities such as regional MPO alliances and regional transportation authorities will play the lead role in developing and implementing the transportation element of regional visions and action plans, working in partnership with the state and local governments and with other regional organizations, such as regional planning councils and economic development partnerships.
• Modal partners and authorities will be responsible for operating and managing modal facilities and services and ensuring the safety, security, and preservation of these systems. Modal partners increasingly will work with FDOT, regional entities, and local governments to help identify transportation needs, shape investment priorities, and jointly fund projects.
• Private sector businesses will expand their role working with the public sector and modal partners to identify transportation needs and implement transportation improvements.
• Statewide associations representing public, private, and citizen interests will continue to provide coordination and policy input at statewide, regional, and local levels.
• The Federal government will remain a critical source of transportation funding and will work closely with FDOT and other Florida partners on transportation issues related to interstate commerce, homeland security, and emergency response.

-- Return to Top --

Regional Coordination

Transportation decisions should be made in the context of an integrated transportation, economic development, and land use vision that reflects the input of the region's elected officials, residents, and other stakeholders, including key transportation partners, economic development organizations, and resource agencies. To support and facilitate the development of regional visions and action plans that guide transportation decisions and actions in Florida:

• Regional visions should be developed for relatively large geographic areas throughout the state through a bottom up process in which all jurisdictions join one or more regions;
• Regional visions and action plans should be the result of close coordination and harmonization among currently separate planning processes related to transportation, land use, economic development, community development, and environmental stewardship;
• Regional visions and action plans should augment and build upon institutions, processes, and plans where they already exist, and form new institutions, processes, and plans where they do not;
• The regional planning process should result in key outcomes, including priorities for investments in a regional transportation network that includes multimodal options and reflects the balance between efficient regional travel and community and environmental resources within each region;
• Transportation funding from various sources should be identified to help provide significant, recurring, and reliable support for developing and implementing regional visions and action plans throughout the state; and
• The network of regional leaders should identify major existing legislative, administrative, and other impediments to the regional coordination process and make recommendations to applicable governmental entities on how to resolve them.

-- Return to Top --

Performance Monitoring

To achieve the goals and objectives of the 2025 FTP, it is essential that transportation agencies monitor the performance of their transportation systems. FDOT will develop quantifiable objectives for meeting its responsibilities, beginning with the 2006 Short Range Component of the FTP. FDOT will work with statewide organizations, particularly the Florida Transportation Commission, the Metropolitan Planning Organization Advisory Council, and other partners to determine how to align their plans and programs to accomplish the goals and objectives of the FTP. FDOT will also work with its partners to monitor and track performance in achieving the objectives.

-- Return to Top --

Florida in 2025

Implementation of the 2025 FTP will help Florida establish:

• A more competitive economy through more efficient, reliable movement of people and freight among Florida's regions and between Florida and other states and nations;
• More sustainable development patterns through better regional coordination of transportation, land use, economic, and environmental systems;
• More livable communities through local transportation investments that support community visions;
• Increased and affordable travel options and modal choices;
• More careful implementation of transportation projects to address impacts on our natural and human environments;
• Improved safety and security of our transportation systems; and
• Enhanced stewardship of transportation resources through wise investments, proper accountability and responsibility, and performance measurement and reporting.

By moving forward together, the public and private entities identified in this Plan can accomplish the goals and objectives of the 2025 FTP and make Florida a better place to live, work, and do business.

-- Return to Top --

Florida Transportation Plan Glossary

Action plans

Plans developed to address key challenges and set goals, objectives, and strategies for implementing regional visions.

Commercial motor vehicle

Any self-propelled or towed vehicle used on the public highways in commerce to transport passengers or cargo, if the vehicle has a gross vehicle weight of 10,000 pounds or more; or is designed to transport more than 15 passengers, including the driver; or is used to transport hazardous materials as defined by law.

Community

A physical or cultural grouping of stakeholders with common interests created by shared proximity or use. Community can be defined at various levels within a larger context (e.g., neighborhood, city, metropolitan area, region).

Economically distressed areas

An area of the state characterized by factors such as low per capita income, low per capita taxable values, high unemployment, high underemployment, low weekly earned wages compared to the state average, low housing values compared to the state average, high percentages of the population receiving public assistance, high poverty levels compared to the state average, and a lack of year-round stable employment opportunities.

Geographic information system

A computer system capable of assembling, storing, manipulating and displaying geographically referenced information, i.e., data identified according to their locations.

Human scale

Characteristics of the built environment that conform to the physical ddimension of people such that they foster an appropriate sense of comfort and safety.

Impacts

The effects of a transportation project, including (a) direct (primary) effects; (b) indirect (secondary) effects; and (c) cumulative effects.

Intelligent transportation systems

The integrated application of advanced information, electronic communications, and other technologies to address transportation problems.

Livable community

A neighborhood, community or region with compact, multidimensional land use patterns that ensure a mix of uses, minimize the impact of cars, and promote walking, bicycling, and transit access to employment, education, recreation, entertainment, shopping, and services.

Long range goal

A long-term (20-25 years) end toward which programs and activities are ultimately directed.

Long range objectives

A long-term (20-25 years) general end that is achievable and marks progress toward a goal.

Maintenance

Actions taken to preserve the state's transportation infrastructure investment (e.g., resurfacing pavements of roadways and airport runways, repairing and replacing bridges, continuing existing transit routes and frequency) to eliminate deficiencies and to extend/achieve the expected life of facilities before, for example, reconstruction is needed.

Market choices

Choices, typically associated with higher out-of-pocket costs, provided to potential customers who can select the service or product that meets their needs at a price they are willing to pay.

Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)

An organization made up of local elected and appointed officials responsible for coordinating transportation planning in a metropolitan area of at least 50,000 people.

Mobility

The degree to which the demand for the movement of people and goods can be satisfied. Mobility is measured in Florida by the quantity, quality, accessibility, and utilization of transportation facilities and services.

Mode

Any one of the following means of moving people or goods: aviation, bicycle, highway, paratransit, pedestrian, pipeline, rail (commuter, intercity passenger, and freight), transit, space, and water.

Natural environment

The surroundings not made by humans within which the transportation system operates. This includes both physical and ecological aspects, including traditional cultural resources.

Need

A demand for a mobility improvement that has been identified on the basis of accepted and adopted standards and other assumptions (e.g., land use) and documented in a formal long-range or master plan.

Preservation

Actions taken to protect existing natural and human environments, investments, and mobility options.

Region

An area of distinctive communities, cities, and counties where residents share: a geographic identity and are socially, economically, and culturally interdependent; a capacity for planning and function; and a capacity to create competitive advantage.

Stakeholders

Individuals and groups with an interest in the outcomes of policy decisions and actions.

Strategic Intermodal System (SIS)

The transportation system comprised of facilities and services of statewide and interregional significance, including appropriate components of all modes.

Sustainability

Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability to meet the needs of the future.

Transportation disadvantaged

Those persons who, because of disability, income status, or age, are unable to transport themselves or to purchase transportation services.

Transportation Regional Incentive Program (TRIP)

The program that provides state funds to improve regionally significant transportation facilities in partnership with regional transportation areas.

Vision

A description of the future physical appearance and qualities of a community or region.

-- Return to Top --