- Progress Update On FDOT's Howard Frankland Bridge Construction
- Illinois Tollway Releases Draft Of 2023 DBE Study
- Amazon Still Plans To Open Distribution Center Along Indiana Toll Road
- Calls For Elimination Of Tolls On UK's Tamar Bridge
- These are just some of the toll industry developments TRN is following.
This is a Subscribers-Only area. If you are a subscriber, please login. If not...
Become a Subscriber Today »
Progress Update On FDOT's Howard Frankland Bridge Construction
WTSP reports, FDOT project manager Austin Petersen says 275 workers are currently employed on the Howard Frankland Bridge rebuild project, and they are preparing for the onset of the rainy season. Even accounting for potential weather delays, FDOT expects construction to be completed by late 2025. With its four general purpose lanes and two express lanes in each direction plus a shared-use path for pedestrians and bicycles, the entirely new span will be the state’s largest bridge by deck area. The $865.3 million project, part of the Tampa Bay Next program, also involves the demolition of one of the two existing bridge structures that carry I-275 across Old Tampa Bay.
Illinois Tollway Releases Draft Of 2023 DBE Study
The Illinois Tollway Authority last week released a draft of its annual study of contracting practices and the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program. “The 2023 DBE Disparity Study was undertaken as part of a continuing effort by the Illinois Tollway to ensure equal opportunities in all aspects of its Move Illinois capital program, including contracting and consulting.” The study, conducted by Colette Holt & Associates, analyzed authority contracting processes and the potential for disparities in contracting as between DBE and non-DBE firms, and recommended possible improvements in administration of the DBE Program. Following committee and board review of the report, the authority will hold a public informational meeting — scheduled for June 8 — with in-person and virtual attendance options. Registration links can be found on the “Diversity” page of the authority’s website (scroll down to the “Tollway DBE and Tollway BEP Disparity Studies” heading). (TRN inserted links in quoted text.)
Illinois Illinois State Toll Highway Authority (IL Tollway) Procurement of Tolling Equipment & Services Transportation and Infrastructure Leadership And Workforce DiversityAmazon Still Plans To Open Distribution Center Along Indiana Toll Road
South Bend Tribune reports, with Amazon cancelling some building projects and closing other facilities, rumors have been circulating in Elkhart County, Indiana, that the company would walk away from an 800,000-square-foot distribution center it built but hasn’t occupied along the Indiana Toll Road. In response, Amazon says it still plans to open the facility but it’s not sure when. The location’s proximity to the tollway and a municipal airport were prime reasons Amazon decided to build on the Elkhart site. Infrastructure improvements around the building, such as a “massive roundabout” that provides quick access to the toll road, have opened hundreds of acres of nearby property for development.
Amazon Economic & Social Considerations Affecting Transportation Indiana Indiana Toll Road Concession Company (ITRCC)Calls For Elimination Of Tolls On UK's Tamar Bridge
Cornwall Live reports on a “growing groundswell of opinion in Cornwall” in opposition to paying Tamar Bridge tolls and Torpoint ferry fees. A local government official has requested that the Cornwall County Council to study the issue because of the impact toll collection is having on the economy of the surrounding UK region. The article notes, that the bridge toll is currently the highest in the country, even though larger facilities such as the Dartford Crossing have lower rates. “The Tamar Toll Action Group, which was formed a year ago, has almost 3,000 members and is calling for the complete abolition of the tolls. . . . It says the cost of crossing regularly is having a huge financial impact on businesses and residents, particularly those who live in the south east Cornwall area.” (The financially troubled bridge and associated ferry service are major links in southwest England’s transportation network. The UK government approved a rate increase that took effect on January 1 this year.)
Company and Agency Financial Issues And Reports Tamar Crossings (UK) United KingdomThese are just some of the toll industry developments TRN is following.
If you’re not already a Daily News Briefs subscriber and you want a complete picture of today’s news, click here or call 717-991-2823 for subscription information. If you’re a newcomer to TollRoadsNews.com, click here.