 Official Seal | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1969 |
| Preceding agency |
|
| Jurisdiction | Florida |
| Headquarters | 605 Suwannee Street,Tallahassee, Florida, U.S. |
| Agency executives |
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| Website | fdot.gov |
TheFlorida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is a decentralized agency charged with the establishment, maintenance, and regulation ofpublic transportation in theU.S. state ofFlorida.[1] The department was formed in 1969. It absorbed the powers of theState Road Department (SRD). The current Secretary of Transportation is Jared W. Perdue.
The State Road Department, the predecessor of today's Department of Transportation, was authorized in 1915 by theFlorida 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.
The1916 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 theFlorida Highway Patrol (FHP) division of theFlorida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) on July 1, 2011.[2] 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.[3]
The Florida Transportation Commission, made up of nine commissioners chosen by Florida'sgovernor andLegislature, provides oversight for the state'sdepartment of transportation (DOT).[4]
The department consists of seven geographic districts. In May 1994, an eighth district was formed for the state'sTurnpike System.[5][6] In April 2002, the Turnpike district expanded asFlorida's Turnpike Enterprise (FTE) and operates as the business unit for the department.[7] The FTE owns and maintains 511 miles (822 km) of toll roads.[5]
Each district is managed by a district secretary.[8] The department also owns and maintains other toll roads and bridges: theGarcon Point Bridge,Sunshine Skyway Bridge,Alligator Alley, the Beachline East Expressway, thePinellas 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.
Florida has seven transportation districts and a separate unit for tolled facilities underFlorida's Turnpike Enterprise. Each district is managed by a district secretary. Each district also has major divisions for administration, planning, production, and operations.[8]
| District Number | District Name | Headquarters | Counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southwest Florida | Bartow | Charlotte, Collier, De Soto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Lee, Manatee, Okeechobee, Polk, and Sarasota |
| 2 | Northeast Florida | Lake City | Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Madison, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, Suwannee, Taylor, and Union |
| 3 | Northwest Florida | Chipley | Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Wakulla, Walton, and Washington |
| 4 | Southeast Florida | Fort Lauderdale | Broward, Indian River, Martin, Palm Beach, and St. Lucie |
| 5 | Central Florida | DeLand | Brevard, Flagler, Lake, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter, Volusia |
| 6 | South Florida | Miami | Miami-Dade and Monroe |
| 7 | West Central Florida | Tampa | Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas |
In 1954, the State Road Department completed the originalSunshine Skyway Bridge, the first fixed span to connectSaint Petersburg directly toBradenton. This greatly shortened the travel time between the two cities, as before cars would have to either use aferry or drive about 70 miles (110 km) aroundTampa Bay. A parallel span was completed in 1971 to make the bridge Interstate standard, and it became part ofI-275. After the newer, southbound span was destroyed in 1980 when theSSSummit Venture collided into it, a replacement bridge was finished in 1987.
In 1974, FDOT completedFlorida's Turnpike, a 312-mile (502 km) limited access toll highway that connected thepanhandle area throughOrlando toMiami. The turnpike is part of an initiative to finance transportation with user fees.[9]
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