Unify control over Metro Orlando's expressways

The Orlando Sentinel ^ | December 1, 2017 | Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Florida lawmakers demonstrated wisdom, foresight and fiscal responsibility in 2014 when they combined county expressway authorities in Central Florida into a single, regional agency. Roads don’t stop at county lines, and it’s inefficient and expensive to maintain multiple bureaucracies to control separate stretches of pavement. It’s also a problem when neighboring toll-road agencies have conflicting policies and plans for the future.

Yet the rationale behind that 2014 law hasn’t been completely realized yet. It’s time for lawmakers to step in again.

Dueling road agencies

The Central Florida Expressway Authority now owns and operates 118 miles of toll roads in Metro Orlando. But a unit in the state Department of Transportation, Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise, also owns and operates portions of CFX toll roads adding up to 83 miles. Highways under alternating regional and state control are State Roads 528, 417, 429 and the Wekiva Parkway, which is now under construction.

CFX is run by a 10-member board that includes seven elected county officials and three gubernatorial appointees from the region. The elected officials give the board an element of direct accountability to voters in the region for the decisions it makes on toll rates, highway routes and other policies. And the tolls CFX collects for the portions of the roads it runs are reinvested regionally in operations, maintenance and construction within its system.

FTE, by contrast, is run by unelected state employees, so it’s not directly accountable to voters. FTE’s toll revenue can be spent on operations, maintenance and construction on any of its toll roads throughout the state. What it collects in Central Florida doesn’t necessarily stay in Central Florida.

[lodi90]

They don’t call it “tollando” for nothing.

[4Runner]

Try driving I-4 Eastbound through downtown Orlando to get to Altamonte Springs on the other side. You’ll have no tires, shocks, or ball joints left on your vehicle. That is, if the maniac minority drivers in their fart cans don’t kill you first. Really. Perpetual “reconstruction” by the worst minority contractors on earth. Even Beirut, Lebanon has better infrastructure. I worked in Altamonte Springs 1991-1993 and Orlando at that time was a beautiful place with great roadways. What the hell happened?