Mandarin residents see I-295 edge closer to homes; bypassed by benefit

[coredumped]

Agreed and agreed. My point is tolls won't cover the roads either. The government keeps spending and spending, it's bound to implode,and yet it keeps increasing in size too.
The money has to come from somewhere. They've gotten good at printing it but it's really unsustainable.
Again, my hope is that this is a total failure and they abort the rest of the plans. If Orlando and Tampa don't have them, we certainly don't need them.
(rant over)

[southsider1015]

Agreed and agreed. My point is tolls won't cover the roads either. The government keeps spending and spending, it's bound to implode,and yet it keeps increasing in size too.
The money has to come from somewhere. They've gotten good at printing it but it's really unsustainable.
Again, my hope is that this is a total failure and they abort the rest of the plans. If Orlando and Tampa don't have them, we certainly don't need them.
(rant over)

Orlando and Tampa?  Hahah have ya even been?

See what I mean about the uninformed opinions?

[southsider1015]

Agreed and agreed. My point is tolls won't cover the roads either. The government keeps spending and spending, it's bound to implode,and yet it keeps increasing in size too.
The money has to come from somewhere. They've gotten good at printing it but it's really unsustainable.
Again, my hope is that this is a total failure and they abort the rest of the plans. If Orlando and Tampa don't have them, we certainly don't need them.
(rant over)

Defense spending?  Entitlements?  Let's get real here.  I consider myself an informed conservative, and to say that the government is too big for more infrastructure spending is freakin joke.  The industrial miltary complex that Eisenhower warned about is real.

This country needs to get its priority straight.  The extreme politicing from both sides of the spectrum is ridiculous.  Leadership on both sides needs to be completely removed, and we seriously need campaign finance reform.  The olicharies need to be reduced, and we need to reinvest back into this country.

There is a severe lack of leadership in this country.  There.  My rant over.

[thelakelander]

If Orlando and Tampa don't have them, we certainly don't need them.

Tampa's Lee Roy Selmon has been toll since it's opening in 1976.

Tolls have been in Orlando and Tampa for as far as I can remember. More are on the way, including managed lanes down the center of I-4.


What I-4 will look like when construction is complete in another six years or so.

[coredumped]

Orlando and Tampa?  Hahah have ya even been?

See what I mean about the uninformed opinions?

Yes, I've lived in both. Maybe you misunderstood - NEITHER of those cities have lexus lanes (which is what this article is about).

See what I mean about the reading comprehension?

[southsider1015]

Orlando and Tampa?  Hahah have ya even been?

See what I mean about the uninformed opinions?

Yes, I've lived in both. Maybe you misunderstood - NEITHER of those cities have lexus lanes (which is what this article is about).

See what I mean about the reading comprehension?

Bwahaha.  Right.  Anyway, FLT and Miami  are currently the only two cities operating managed lanes as of today.  Both Orlando and Tampa will have managed lanes operating in the next 5 years.  Are you familiar with the statewide policy on managed lanes?  All capacity projects (aka widening) are to consider managed lanes on interstate highways.  Basically, unless there's a solid reason not to toll the lane, it'll be a tolled/managed lane.  Heck, FDOT is looking at managed lanes on arterials such as SR 200.

They aren't going to fail because we hate sitting in traffic.  And what's the definition of failure here?  Only 20% or less uses them?  Still a win-win because now the state will at least some revenue to show for it. 

[thelakelander]

Yes. Construction on this elevated toll project in the Tampa Bay area will begin in 2017.





Full article: http://www.saintpetersblog.com/archives/134469

[southsider1015]

Yes. Construction on this elevated toll project in the Tampa Bay area will begin in 2017.





Full article: http://www.saintpetersblog.com/archives/134469

The SR 690 elevated typical section was the section I was referring to back earlier in the thread.  Not sure why FDOT is going with it in Tampa; it's so expensive.  They must have trees to save.

[thelakelander]

^My guess is it's probably a lot less politically polarizing than attempting to acquire or take the developed commercial properties and portions of the cemetery on 118th Avenue.

[tufsu1]

^ FDOT also had to get around the issue of "not replacing existing free lanes with toll lanes".  That is a quote made by the FDOT Secretary and the Governor on multiple occasions.  The raised median expressway allowed that to be accomplished without the need for much ROW.

Of course, they found a way to skirt the issue here in replacing parts of Branan Field Road with the First Coast Expressway.

[tufsu1]

Orlando and Tampa?  Hahah have ya even been?

See what I mean about the uninformed opinions?

Yes, I've lived in both. Maybe you misunderstood - NEITHER of those cities have lexus lanes (which is what this article is about).

See what I mean about the reading comprehension?

Orlando has started construction on the I-4 express lanes...and Tampa will be adding them to I-275 north from downtown in the next 2-3 years.

[southsider1015]

^ FDOT also had to get around the issue of "not replacing existing free lanes with toll lanes".  That is a quote made by the FDOT Secretary and the Governor on multiple occasions.  The raised median expressway allowed that to be accomplished without the need for much ROW.

Of course, they found a way to skirt the issue here in replacing parts of Branan Field Road with the First Coast Expressway.

Yes, I think that was a bit of a blunder on behalf of FDOT and COJ.  Using COJ BJP money to fund widening which was to be ultimately become part of Toll 23 was not right.  It's over and done with, but that shouldn't have been done like that. Whether it's FDOT'S money to give back to COJ, or a misuse of COJ funds, I don't know.  Maybe the improvements will help Cecil Commerce?