Will I-595 become a private toll road?

Will I-595 become a private toll road? Interstate 595 in Broward County, which provides the primary highway access to both Port Everglades and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, could be converted into a privately operated highway with tolls for new express lanes.
   According to a report in the Fort Lauderdale-based South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Florida Department of Transportation has been mulling the $1.5 billion reconstruction of I-595 using a private-sector highway operator. The controversial practice is being considered by transportation planners at several locations around the country. FDOT district planners for I-595 believe that by privatizing the highway, the improvements could be completed in five years. If the work was done using traditional state funding, the reconstruction would be done at the same cost, but in phases that would stretch out over 14 years.
   The report said the state now projects a $700 million funding shortfall for work on I-595. Both state and federal officials seem generally opposed to the concept of using gas tax increases to pay for new highways, and turning to a private-sector company would be one way to solve the funding dilemma.
   If the state were to go with one of the large, international toll road developers, the company would be allowed to operate an automated toll system that would pay for the project and eventually produce a profit for the operator. The company would also be able to raise toll rates without public sector consent.
   Tolls would be restricted to an elevated express lane, giving highway users the option of driving on the more congested roadway or zooming along on the express road.
   The report said state officials plan to meet with potential investors and contractors from all over the world during May to consider financing options for the project.