- CFX Makes First SR 429 Flex Lanes Segment Operational
- USDOT Awards $125 Million In Grants For Study And Construction Of Wildlife Crossings
- These are just some of the toll industry developments TRN is following.
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CFX Makes First SR 429 Flex Lanes Segment Operational
OrangeObserver.com reports, last Monday, December 16, the Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX) declared its newest flex lanes operational on a stretch of SR 429 (the Daniel Webster Western Beltway). The section now active runs from Tilden Road to the Florida’s Turnpike junction. By early-to-mid 2025, the entire facility, covering the 13 miles from Tilden Road to the SR 414 junction, will be open for use. The lanes have 26 gantries for the display of directional and speed limit digital signs, and their use is controlled from a regional traffic management center. The Florida Highway Patrol will police motorists’ use of lanes.
The flex lanes are located on the left shoulders of the tollway in each direction. For the time being, CFX will temporarily open them to traffic when an incident makes one or more adjacent lanes unavailable. They can also be used to expedite evacuations during a climate emergency. Eventually, CFX can use the flex lanes to increase peak-period traffic flow, something that isn’t immediately contemplated because of SR 429’s recent widening. CFX opened its first flex lanes on SR 417 (the Central Florida GreeneWay) in the fall.
CFX spokesperson Brian Hutchings notes that a unique aspect of the SR 429 flex lanes is that they were incorporated into the design of the tollway widening project instead of being a retrofit.
Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX) Florida Highway-Tunnel-Bridge Safety (Includes COVID-19 Impacts) Intelligent Transportation Systems Orange County FL Metro Area (Orlando)USDOT Awards $125 Million In Grants For Study And Construction Of Wildlife Crossings
On Friday, USDOT announced that $125 million in grants were awarded to 16 projects in 16 states through the agency’s Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program, which was created by the IIJA. The funding will cover construction of wildlife crossings and studies of potential projects and existing systems. The news release summarizes several of the projects that received grants.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated, “Too many Americans are injured or killed each year in crashes involving cars and wildlife, especially in rural areas — which is why our Department created the first-ever program dedicated to crossings that make roads and highways safer for both humans and wildlife.” More than 1 million vehicle collisions involving wildlife are estimated to occur each year, with direct and indirect costs totaling over $10 billion in economic value, according to USDOT.
A KGW video report covers the award of $33 million grant to Oregon DOT for construction of an I-5 wildlife crossing.
New York State DOT received a $324,000 grant to conduct a study of wildlife-vehicle collisions and ways to improve habitat connectivity. Governor Kathy Hochul (D) recently vetoed legislation that would have required NYSDOT to identify the most hazardous spots for wildlife collisions and develop a mitigation plan.
Environmental Protection Policies Procedures And Initiatives Highway-Tunnel-Bridge Maintenance Highway-Tunnel-Bridge Safety (Includes COVID-19 Impacts) New York New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Oregon Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) Transportation and Infrastructure Research & Development US Department of Transportation (USDOT) US Gov't Transportation Funding US Infrastructure Funding And Financing InitiativesThese are just some of the toll industry developments TRN is following.
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