Posted on 10/10/2017 12:32:42 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
More than $45 million in revenue is believed to have been lost when the state suspended highway toll collections to help speed evacuations and relief efforts for Hurricane Irma, Florida's Turnpike system estimates.
However, the estimated $3 million-a-day impact is not expected to hinder operations of the system or ongoing work programs, “as impacts such as toll suspensions due to a hurricane are taken into consideration during the annual budgeting process,” turnpike spokesman Chad Huff said in an email Friday.
Funding 404 full-time positions, the turnpike system is budgeted at $1.57 billion for the current fiscal year, which began July 1.
Tolls were lifted by Gov. Rick Scott on Sept. 5 in advance of Hurricane Irma's trek across Florida. Toll collections resumed at 12:01 a.m. Thursday across the state, though they remained suspended on the Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike south of State Road 874 in southern Miami-Dade County, as Monroe County recovery efforts continue.
Irma made initial landfall Sept. 10 in Monroe County and a second landfall in Collier County before traveling north and exiting the state Sept. 11.
As Irma approached Florida, an estimated 6.3 million people were directed through mandatory or voluntary evacuations to find shelter inland or further away.
The state has not estimated how many people took to the road in advance of the storm.
The Florida Department of Transportation also suspended construction, clearing work zones to reduce traffic impacts for evacuees.
The turnpike system backed the governor's toll suspension.
“Governor Scott's top priority was to keep people safe as our state faced the threat of Hurricane Irma and to ensure Floridians had no reason to not evacuate if they were in evacuation zones,” Huff wrote. “Suspending tolls was critical to helping Floridians travel safely and quickly during the largest ever evacuation in U.S. history.”
Also Friday:
—- Scott continued to focus on debris removal, which he earlier blamed for slowing efforts to restore power lost from storm and causing public health issues.
Scott on Thursday invited debris removal companies to contact the Florida Department of Transportation —- if willing to work “at a fair price” —- as he's received complaints from local governments about debris-removal contractors not abiding by pre-storm contracts.
—- Scott expanded license-free freshwater and saltwater fishing through June 30, 2018 for utility workers. The same offer was provided for Florida law-enforcement officers and first responders on Thursday. The offer includes free day passes to Florida state parks through October 2018.
But Floridians GAINED more than $45 million.
God forbid the government should lose money.
Just $3 million a day...
I knew they had a hell of a racket in FL with all their toll roads but that’s a jaw-dropping amount of money.
Save me a buck and a quarter. Got to blow right through the toll station going from Sarasota in to Tampa
Good! Hope it happens more often. (without a storm of course)
Thank you governor Scott for showing the assclown governors and mayors in red states and territories what real leadership looks like...
Alternate title: Floridians gained $45 million worth of Freedom after tolls suspended.
And how many millions did they get federal “disaster” aid. Reality is it wasn’t even a disaster in Florida. Flooding in some places but that’s it.
Compared to the tolls up north, Florida tolls are a bargain...
I’d spend more in one trip taking any number of bridges or tunnels up east than I spend in a week on most Florida toll roads
Taxpayers of NYS were told that after 25 years the Thruway would be toll free. 50 years later they keep raising the tolls - go figure. Marixist states need money for their social programs.
It is quite a racket. Considering the peninsular shape of Florida, if your journey takes you down the spine of Florida, you are forced to pay the tolls of the Florida Turnpike, Suncoast Parkway, Alligator Alley, Seminole Expressway, etc.
One of the best things Gov. Scott did was waiving the tolls. Also temporarily lifted tariffs that made it easier for gas stations to get gas. My husband’s been through lots of hurricanes here, doesn’t remember this happening before. Florida gets enough tourists to make up for any “lost” toll money.
“Compared to the tolls up north, Florida tolls are a bargain...”
I’ve heard that but never experienced the PA/NJ/NY “suck your wallet empty” road systems. FL, and especially Orlando area, has it down to a science.
Florida didn’t lose 45mil. Florida donated the tolls to the necessity of evacuating a huge population. In prospect was Florida having to pay out a lot more than that over and above what the storm actually cost if the evacuation had been snarled into ineffectiveness.
When Jeb was guv, he’d waive the tolls too.
The FL. Turnpike rakes in over a billion dollars per year in tolls?
The headline alone is a glimpse into the psyche of the liberal mind.
As I understand it, this includes the utility workers brought in from out of state for the repair work. I think that this is a GREAT IDEA, a minor cost but genuine in making for good will! Kudos to the Governor!
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