Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Frank TorresSeptember 11, 2015

Altamonte Springs State Rep. Bob Cortes is looking to reform the Central Florida Transportation Authority with a new bill that could eventually privatize the region’s LYNX bus system. Filed on Friday, HB 155 would change the five-person board, now made up of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs, Osceola Commissioner Viviana Janer, Seminole County Commissioner Carlton […]

Guest AuthorSeptember 8, 2015

The story of the Port St. Lucie Crosstown Parkway Bridge tells how we lose Florida’s natural beauty, resources, and ecosystems, even if they exist in our Preserve State Parks. It’s the story of a battle that must be fought if we are to save any of them. In 1990, the city of Port St. Lucie […]

Phil AmmannJuly 29, 2015

A company has filed a complaint claiming Florida transportation officials used favoritism in awarding a multimillion dollar toll collection contract. WFTV Channel 9 Eyewitness News in Orlando reports an administrative judge will take up the 28-page complaint from Accenture over the $600 million state contract that may not have gone to the best company to […]

Sally SwartzJune 22, 2015

Martin County residents tangled with the Florida Department of Transportation bureaucracy last week over FDOT plans for an ugly, six-lane highway with concrete noise walls as the entrance to the county from Interstate 95. As usual, FDOT – with the help of its copycat bureaucracy, the localMetropolitan Planning Organization — won. Residents who live near […]

Bruce RitchieApril 23, 2015

Language from a comprehensive House water bill was added on Thursday to other environmental legislation in the House over objections from Democrats. The water bill language lacks key components of the Senate bill that are important to that chamber’s leadership, raising questions about whether the move represents gamesmanship between the two chambers. Some environmentalists say […]

Peter SchorschApril 21, 2015

I guess we can count the Florida Department of Transportation among our beloved readership — along with the many pols, staffers, voters and taxpayers who check in with Florida Politics every day. After our reporting this week on a transportation contract procurement process that seems have gone a little squirrelly, FDOT announced Tuesday that it has cancelled […]

Peter SchorschApril 20, 2015

You might not know it from reading The Tampa Tribune lately, but at this moment a handful of major companies are locked in a heated campaign to secure a major state contract to provide an oft-overlooked but essential service: the administration of tolls that help fund Florida’s more than 80,000 miles of roads. After 16 years since the introduction of […]

Christine Jordan SextonMarch 24, 2015

There could be some purple and gold license plates in the greater Orlando area under a bill being proposed by the Florida Senate. Proposed committee bill 7072 authorizes 12 new specialty plates, including one for Orlando City Soccer Club, the state’s first Major League Soccer team. The plates would cost an additional $25 and the […]

Guest AuthorMarch 15, 2015

FDOT’s recent announcement of their plans to expand Florida’s Turnpike in Palm Beach County brought to mind something my father often said: “Bigness is the problem.” When agencies grow too large, they function like massive cruise ships – great at moving forward, but so poor at changing course they need tug boats to help them. […]

Associated PressFebruary 22, 2015

In more than 30 years of living in central Florida, Brindley Pieters has experienced his share of struggles with Interstate 4. “I tell you, some days you don’t know what to expect,” said Pieters, a 69-year-old civil engineer. “The problem with I-4 is one day it’s not so bad, and some days it’s horrendous.” State […]

Tag: Florida Department of Transportation

New bill filed to reform Central Florida Transportation Authority, privatize LYNX

Shari Anker: Battle to save 2 preserve state parks teaches statewide lessons

Company claims favoritism in awarding state toll collection contract

Sally Swartz: Bureaucracies, like road builders, keep steamrolling along

House water bill language finds new home as Session winds down

FDOT procurement meeting cancelled after FloridaPolitics.com report

Transportation procurement inconsistencies taking a toll on Florida taxpayers?

Orlando City Soccer Club gets a specialty plate under proposed Senate bill

Timothy Hullihan: Wrong-way thinking drives Turnpike expansion

Florida investing lots of money, big hopes in I-4 project