DOT grant gives green light to I-95 express toll

DOT grant gives green light to I-95 express toll The U.S. Department of Transportation Tuesday approved a $62.9 million grant that will fund a next-generation electronic express toll lane on Interstate 95 from Miami to Broward County.
   The project would eliminate the existing high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane on I-95, converting it to an all-electronic high occupancy toll lane. The toll lane would run on I-95 from I-395 in Miami to I-595, west of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
   The grant was part of a $848.1 million DOT grant package for five cities. As reported in the June 11 Florida Caribbean Connection, Miami was one of nine 'Preliminary Urban Partners' selected for grant consideration. The other four cites and funding amounts are: New York City, $354.5 million; San Francisco, $158.7 million; Seattle area, $138.7 million; and Minneapolis area, $133.3 million.
   The DOT program for reducing transportation congestion problems was intended to take a broad look at all elements of local transportation systems on local economies, from trucks moving in and out of seaports to traffic flows around airports, and other local impacts.
   The proposal from the Miami partnership called for the conversion of the 1980s-era HOV concept into a more modern electronically monitor toll lane, similar to the SunPass lanes now common in Florida. However, the new lane will have limited access, retaining the requirement for at least two passengers per vehicle as is required in existing HOV lanes.
   'This is a huge win for Miami and improving I-95,' said U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balhart, R-Miami, who sits on the Houses Transportation Committee. 'As an Urban Partner, Miami can move forward with a vital plan to ease congestion.'
   He also singled out the work of Transportation Committee member John Mica, a Republican who represents the St. Augustine/Daytona area, plus Florida Secretary of Transportation Stephanie Kopelousos and DOT District 6 Secretary Johnny Martinez.