Half-Billion-Dollar Florida DOT I-75 Auxiliary Lanes Project Moves Forward
On Tuesday, Governor Ron DeSantis (R) announced the advance of a Moving Florida Forward project to improve a congested 31-mile segment of I-75 in Sumter and Marion Counties. The design-build project will add auxiliary lanes between SR 44 in Wildwood and SR 326 in Ocala and make “operational improvements” at several interchanges. According to FDOT Secretary Jared Perdue, “With nearly 114,000 vehicles driving the corridor daily, these improvements will make traveling easier and bring a $2.3 billion economic impact to the region.” Because it was selected for inclusion in the Moving Florida Forward initiative, the expansion project will start undergoing construction this year, 10 to 15 years ahead of its original timeline.
According to an FDOT fact sheet, the fully funded project has an estimated cost of $541 million. Although DeSantis’ news release refers to the project’s groundbreaking, FDOT’s website indicates procurement of a design-build contract is incomplete. The project corridor was the subject of two separate FDOT District 5 design and environment studies detailed on two sub-pages, one regarding the segment from SR 44 to SR 200, the other, the segment from SR 200 to SR 326.
MTA Netted $37.5 Million From January Congestion Zone Tolls
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced Monday that tolls collected during the first three weeks of the congestion pricing program generated $48.66 million in revenue, “with a net [of] $37.5 million putting the program on track to generate the $500 million that the MTA initially projected.”
Authority CFO Kevin Willens commented, “With an initial performance in line with projections, we can confidently move forward with projects that rely on funds from the Congestion Relief Zone. We look forward to seeing similar results in the coming months.” MTA said it will will continue to issue monthly reports on program revenues.
The announcement noted that program expenses totaled $11.1 million, $9.1 for tolling operations and customer service and $2 million for unspecified environmental mitigation efforts. Nearly all the revenue, 95 percent, was collected during peak tolling periods. Passenger vehicle drivers paid more than two-thirds of all the tolls. Taxis and for-hire vehicles accounted for 22 percent of collections, trucks just 9 percent and motorcycles and buses one percent.
Newsday covers the MTA announcement, noting that program expenses for the period from January 5 through January 31 were $5.5 million less than the MTA had predicted.
According to The New York Times, the fact that January revenue exceeded projections is “the latest sign that the tolling plan is working, even as President Trump has moved to kill the program.” The authority projected it would collect just $40 million in the program’s first month of operation. MTA didn’t disclose how much of the total it actually collected, but noted most drivers who enter the congestion zone have E-ZPass accounts.
The revenue total “could further strengthen the agency’s case to continue congestion pricing. There has already been a substantial reduction in the number of vehicles entering the congestion zone, which runs from 60th Street in Manhattan to the southern tip of the borough. And travel has sped up along several heavily clogged roadways, bridges and tunnels throughout the region.”
New York Officials Resist FHWA Demand They Stop Manhattan Tolling In March
The New York Times reported, the Trump administration has put New York State officials on notice they “must” stop collecting MTA congestion pricing tolls effective March 21. FHWA Executive Director Gloria Shepherd specified the deadline in a letter sent pursuant to USDOT Secretary Sean Duffy’s February 19 decision to terminate federal approval of the program. Janno Lieber, the authority chair and CEO, told reporters tolling operations will continue despite the letter. MTA is disputing USDOT’s authority to rescind program approval in federal court.
Associated Press reported that Mr. Lieber and Governor Kathy Hochul (D) take the position that USDOT cannot unilaterally terminate the congestion pricing program. On Wednesday, the governor “promised an ‘orderly resistance’ to the federal decree, which called for an ‘orderly termination’ to congestion pricing.” She added, “We will not be steamrolled here in New York. We’re in this fight together, and I’m in this as long as it takes.”
Dulles Greenway Owner Sued Virginia Over Rate Increase Denials And Investment Returns
The Australian Financial Review and LoudounNow reported, a federal lawsuit filed on February 21 claims Virginia has unconstitutionally prevented the Dulles Greenway’s owner from earning a reasonable return on its investment and attempted to force the company into bankruptcy.
Toll Road Investors Partnership II (TRIP II), the Atlas Arteria subsidiary that owns and operates the Greenway, filed a complaint alleging that state agencies and officials have denied the company financially justifiable rate increases and invested heavily in alternative toll-free facilities to divert traffic away from the tollway, actions that constitute an unlawful taking of private property. TRIP II asks the court to declare it is entitled to charge tolls that allow it to earn a “just and reasonable return.” It also seeks to be compensated for $12.7 billion in revenue it maintains investors should have received “based on approved rates of return.” The Commonwealth of Virginia, the State Corporation Commission, and the commission members are the named defendants in the case. Virginia has not yet responded to the lawsuit.
Greenway toll rates and rate change applications have stirred controversy for several years. Last September, the State Corporation Commission took the unprecedented step of denying TRIP II another rate increase on the basis it would discourage motorists from using the tollway.
These are a few of the toll industry developments TRN covered last week. If you’re not a subscriber to Daily News Briefs, click here for a free, 14-day trial. Read the news as it happens every weekday.
CFX Board’s Alternatives Recommendation Advanced Airport Connector Study
Orlando Sentinel reported, the Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX) board recently decided to recommend two alternatives (designated 2 and 3D) for the proposed SR 417 Sanford Airport Connector, which is currently in the project development and environment study phase. Route details are summarized in the article.
Board members favor the two alternatives over three others, one of which was rejected outright because of its cost. “Construction costs for the two recommended routes were estimated at between $173 million and $177 million, according to CFX documents.” The board’s action advances the project, which CFX has had under consideration for years. However, a construction timeline hasn’t been set, and the start of work is “likely years away.”
A CFX video prepared for presentation during a January public workshop on alternatives has additional project information. A CFX project fact sheet is available online.
CFX Held Public Meetings On SR 417 Widening Project Study
The Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX) held public meetings this week on its project development and environment study for the proposed SR 417 Capacity Improvements from SR 528 to SR 408. The study “is evaluating the alternatives of a proposed widening of SR 417 . . . , with the potential to incorporate one additional Flex Lane in both directions, to enhance mobility and provide future capacity along the corridor. The study will also evaluate and recommend an interim condition of incorporating Flex Lanes with and without the outside widening of the seven-mile stretch of SR 417. These improvements would match the ongoing capacity improvements along SR 417 from International Drive to SR 528.” (TRN inserted a link.)
Florida DOT Will Host Meeting On Turnpike Widening Alternatives Study
Florida DOT and Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise will host an Alternatives Public Information Meeting regarding its study of a proposal to widen the turnpike mainline (SR 91) within a 45.5-mile corridor stretching from from north of SR 60 to south of Clay Whaley Road in Osceola County. Officials have identified a need to add capacity to the segment to accommodate future freight and passenger vehicle traffic increases linked to projected growth in population and industry. The ongoing project development and environment study is looking at widening alternatives and “recommendations for potential phased implementation.”
FDOT is offering three options for participating in the meeting. A virtual session is scheduled for the evening of March 4. In-person sessions will be held on the evenings of March 5 at the St. Cloud Community Center and March 11 at the Intergenerational Recreation Center in Vero Beach. The same information will be presented during each session.
Florida Unveiled Design Proposal For Turnpike Widening In Palm Beach County
Florida DOT and Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise held a Design Public Information Meeting last week on its project to widen the turnpike mainline (SR 91) from north of Okeechobee Boulevard (SR 704) to south of Beeline Highway (SR 710) in Palm Beach County. According to online information, the project’s purpose is to widen a five-mile segment from four to eight lanes. The scope of work includes pavement reconstruction and resurfacing, bridge improvements, stormwater drainage improvements, and noise wall installations. Construction is funded in FY 2026 and scheduled to start in the second quarter of that year. More information about the project can be found in an online public meeting exhibit room.
Transurban Is Engaged In Design Planning For Major I-95 Express Expansion
Washington Business Journal (subscription required) reported on the recent performance of Transurban’s I-95 and I-495 express lanes, as well as the planning underway for a proposed major expansion.
For the quarter ending December 31, 2024, Transurban reported:
- I-95 Express Lanes generated US$57 million in toll revenue, an increase of 32.3 percent over the corresponding period of 2023.
- I-495 Express Lanes toll collections amounted to US$28 million, a 23.9 percent year-over-year increase.
- Average daily traffic on both the I-95 and I-495 facilities increased by about 10 percent compared to same period of 2023.
- Continued toll revenue and traffic growth is expected due to the Trump administration’s insistence that federal workers return to the office.
(These results and more are reported on in Transurban Group’s recent 1H-2025 results presentation.)
Transurban told investors it’s investigating an opportunity to add lanes to I-95 Express in order to make a 10-mile segment bidirectional. The existing lanes are reversible and serve high-occupancy toll traffic in just one direction at any time. Although the expansion has been under discussion for some time, Transurban stated “design planning” is now taking place and the project could be included in Northern Virginia’s next long-term transportation plan. A Virginia DOT spokesperson’s only comment to the Business Journal was that the department “continues to work under a development framework agreement with Transurban . . . to evaluate the feasibility” of adding I-95 Express Lanes capacity.
Kapsch Announced An Innovation In License Plate Recognition Technology For North American Market
Kapsch TrafficCom announced it has created an Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) engine specifically for the North American market that offers “unparalleled accuracy and reliability.”
According to Chris Jones, Kapsch North America’s Director of Video Transaction Optimization, the engine’s “newly developed deep neural network . . . ensures precise identification of license plates from 58 jurisdictions, including all mainland US states, Hawaii, Mexico, and the most relevant Canadian provinces.” Kapsch TrafficCom North America President JB Kendrick noted that the engine can accurately recognize the variety of characters seen on more than 150 plate types, “focusing on the most widely used designs and ensuring easy scalability to include additional types as needed.” She added that the engine, which isn’t a stand-alone product, will be “a key building block” in Kapsch systems for existing and future roadside tolling clients. It is already being implemented in several of the company’s projects. Because of its accuracy, the ANPR engine will help toll entities reduce costs for manual transaction review.
LA Private Equity Firm Acquired Duncan Solutions In Deal With Navient
Duncan Solutions, LLC, was recently acquired by Gallant Capital Partners, a Los Angeles-based private equity firm that invests in technology, business services, and industrial companies. The sale was part of a transaction in which Navient, the business solutions firm, sold its Government Services businesses to Gallant.
Duncan is a prominent parking and tolling management services company, providing citation processing, debt collection, DMV registered owner identification, back office transaction processing, image review, and customer service center solutions. In a news release, Duncan Solutions CEO James Kennedy, commented, “We are excited to join the Gallant family. Our new ownership structure will enable us to expand on our core capabilities and enhance the experiences we deliver to our clients and the millions of motorists they serve. It also will allow us to accelerate our rate of [customer experience] innovation while continuing to attract and develop our industry’s top talent.”
Nevada Assembly Committee Heard Testimony On Toll Project P3 Bill
On Tuesday, a Nevada Assembly committee held a hearing on AB 61, which would authorize a regional or local agency in Washoe County to establish a demonstration toll road project. The measure would allow the agency to enter into a public-private partnership for purposes of planning, designing, financing, constructing, improving, maintaining, or operating the tollway, or acquiring rights-of-way. The committee took no immediate action after receiving testimony for and against the bill.
Although hearing minutes aren’t available yet, some exhibits presented by witnesses are online. A video record of the hearing is also accessible. (AB 61 testimony and discussion occurred between the 1:32:55 and 2:28:50 time marks.)
The measure was recently introduced at the request of the City of Sparks, a Washoe County community that decided last year to explore building a 13-mile toll road from its northeast section to the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center (TRIC) in Storey County, a center of economic activity and employment. City officials, led by the mayor, see new infrastructure construction as a necessary solution for the congestion on a crash-prone section of I-80 currently used by TRIC commuters. Because the proposed facility’s estimated cost is $500 million, they consider a toll-financed P3 their best project development option.
Michigan Governor Recommended Funding RUC Pilot Project
When Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) released a $3 billion transportation investment plan earlier this month, it was widely reported that her funding strategy is tax-based and doesn’t involve any innovative financing mechanisms. However, it appears she is still listening to transportation officials and stakeholders who are interested in exploring other options.
According to MLive.com, Whitmer’s separate FY 2026 budget recommendations include spending $7.8 million on a pilot project to study “potential road usage charge revenue options to provide a stable future base of support for Michigan’s transportation network.” The project cost would be covered by a “one-time appropriation of $7.7 million from the Michigan Transportation Fund and $171,900 of ongoing support.”
In January, Michigan DOT announced it was abandoning the idea of conducting an RUC pilot after failing to secure state or federal funding. If the legislature approves the governor’s current budget proposal, MDOT states it will “move quickly to establish the road usage charge criteria and course of action.” It won’t comment at this point about the specifics of a study.
How The Kansas Turnpike Engineered A Successful Cashless Tolling Transition
A “case study” newly contributed to the IBTTA website by Kansas Turnpike Authority technology director Bruce Meisch and HNTB engineering executive Derek Vap explores how the toll agency, with the collaboration of key partners HNTB and TransCore, planned and executed a strategy for modernizing tolling technology. The project — it included an efficient transition to cashless collection — was first envisioned in 2014 and came to fruition last summer. The article summarizes how a patient and methodical approach to requirements planning, design, and procurement ensured the new system would serve the needs of both KTA and its customers.
Have A Question or Comment? Email Us! For TollRoadsNews subscription information, please call 717-991-2823, email us or visit our website.
