The listings below highlight news articles in 2004 and 2003. Please note that many of the links may no longer be active.

December 17, 2004 - Scripps road plan rankles officials. Two Palm Beach County commissioners were incensed at Commissioner Karen Marcus after a board that oversees traffic planning voted to change the design of a stretch of the road that will deliver drivers into the heart of the Scripps Florida campus.

December 15, 2004 - High-speed railers just wont go away. Call it the boondoggle that wouldn’t die. The Florida High Speed Rail Authority, opposed by the governor, rebuffed by the voters and practically ordered to disband, just keeps chugging along.

December 14, 2004 - FDOT plans to advance I-75 widening project. The news this week is good for motorists traveling Interstate 75 in Collier County, or at least for those who will be driving the road in 2007. The state transportation department's newly proposed budget for Collier shows the widening to six lanes of that stretch of I-75 taking place beginning in 2009, and officials are already planning to advance it to 2007.

December 14, 2004 - Seek Surcharge To Fund Transit. There's little choice but to ask the Legislature to approve a license tag surcharge to fund expanded mass transit for South Florida. There simply is no other way to quickly put the region in position to qualify for the federal funding it needs to make its ambitious expansion plans financially feasible.

December 13, 2004 - A tale of fair dealing. This is the story of the "Amtrak 21." It’s a dramatic tale involving political intrigue and, according to some, near-violence between two congressmen. And it comes with a strong message for liberals and moderates: They, more than anyone else, need to get the federal government off their backs.

December 10, 2004 - Expressway builders win reprieve from state. The agency that created the elevated lanes of the Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway and was threatened with extinction because of the road's problems won a reprieve Thursday. Senate President Tom Lee, R-Brandon, said in an interview that the Legislature would not move during its special session next week to put the Tampa-Hillsborough Expressway Authority out of business.

December 10, 2004 - Keep Rapid Rail Moving Slowly. The state's Rapid Rail Authority was right Thursday to ignore Gov. Jeb Bush's request to disband. The authority was created by the Legislature to build the rail system that voters mandated in a constitutional amendment in 2000. In last month's election, the amendment was repealed. Voters were right to kill the amendment.

December 10, 2004 - Rail board votes against handing work to DOT. The voters have spoken but the Florida High Speed Rail Authority wants to hear from state lawmakers. The issue is the future of the nine-member panel the Legislature created to oversee planning and construction of a high-speed train connecting people across Florida.

December 9, 2004 - Now that Gov. Jeb Bush has succeeded in getting voters to repeal the high-speed rail project they approved in 2000, he is asking the panel overseeing the train venture to close up shop.

December 3, 2004 - Orlando rates No. 1 for pedestrian peril. No area in the United States has grown more dangerous and deadly for pedestrians in the past decade than metro Orlando, a national study reported Thursday. Metropolitan Orlando kept its No. 1 ranking as the most dangerous region for pedestrians, followed by Tampa-St. Petersburg and West Palm Beach.

December 1, 2004 - Expressway Authority Gives State Its Plans To Repair Foundations. A threat to abolish the local expressway authority seems to have dimmed Tuesday after state officials reviewed a plan by the authority to address its problems. ``It appears they will allow us to continue to proceed,'' said Ralph Mervine, executive director of the Tampa-Hillsborough County Expressway Authority.

November 29, 2004 - I-595 mass transit coming. Broward County commuters weary of congestion on Interstate 595 may someday find a faster way downtown. The county's transportation board has selected a route for east-west light rail or express bus service along the highway.

November 29, 2004 - City set to start buying land for rapid transit bus system. With $100 million in the bank and a stack of studies on the shelf, Jacksonville will start buying land in 2005 for a 29-mile rapid transit system where express buses zip along in their own lanes while picking up passengers at 27 stations in downtown and the suburbs

November 22, 2004 - Cities Want More Say In Controling Growth. Florida cities want more control over shaping the future of the fast-growing state. But critics contend turning over growth-management reins held by state regulators to local government would allow more traffic-clogging, school-crowding development.

November 24, 2004 - State Mulling Expressway Authority's Fate. State officials said Tuesday that they won't know until at least next week whether they will disband the Tampa-Hillsborough County Expressway Authority or let the agency finish its troubled highway project. It will take that long to pore over the 58-page report authority officials released Monday detailing how they plan to fix the road's flawed foundations, pay for repairs and repay $110 million in state loans due in June.

November 24, 2004 - Mall to pay for fixes on roads. PEMBROKE PINES The owner of the Pembroke Lakes Mall has agreed to put $1 million toward the cost of relieving traffic congestion on Pines Boulevard at Flamingo Road, which State Farm Insurance Co. in 2001 called the most dangerous intersection in the country.

November 23, 2004 - State's non-freeways load fatal-roads list. Most of the deadliest non-freeways in America are in Florida. Only six non-freeways in the country averaged at least 20 traffic deaths a year within any one county from 1998 to 2003, according to federal crash data compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Five of those were in Florida.

November 22, 2004 - Didn't rail advocates get message?. High-speed-rail amendment financier C.C. "Doc" Dockery and other supporters don't get the message. The majority of us Florida taxpayers don't want the bullet train -- at least not if it's going to be built at our expense.

November 22, 2004 - Bill provides funds for new I-10 bridge. A new Interstate 10 bridge connecting Escambia and Santa Rosa counties will replace the one damaged by Hurricane Ivan. The money will come from a provision in the $388 billion spending bill approved by Congress on Saturday.

November 19, 2004 - WisDOT Submits Budget Request. There are some similarities between the new "Investment$ in Motion" plan here in Florida and a proposal in Wisconsin.

November 17, 2004 - Roads shape county's future, so budget accordingly. State Sen. Mike Fasano likes to boast of his ability to bring the bacon home to his district. Now the New Port Richey Republican has a chance to prove his pork acumen. Senate President Tom Lee on Monday named Fasano chairman of the Senate's Transportation and Economic Development Appropriations Committee.

November 17, 2004 - Big Dig Leaks Even More Widespread. BOSTON Leaks in the Big Dig highway tunnel system are more widespread than state officials have acknowledged, and top construction managers had warned as far back as 1998 about problems that could cause failures in tunnel waterproofing, the Boston Globe reported Wednesday.

November 16, 2004 - Glitch sends 1,350 traffic lights around Broward out of sync. Broward County's 1,350 traffic signals were out of sync for up to 45 minutes Monday afternoon after a computer that sets signal timing crashed. The computer lets motorists hit a steady stream of green lights on major roads during key commuting times. When it fails, drivers hit a string of red lights, or wait longer for turn signals onto side streets.

November 15, 2004 - The Right Read On The Rail Votes. Voting on one question every four years is no way to run a railroad. Floridians said they wanted a bullet train four years ago, then said earlier this month that they didn't, or more precisely didn't want to be constitutionally forced into the project regardless of costs.

November 11, 2004 - Rail panel acts as if train is going ahead. Voters may have kicked the bullet train out of Florida's constitution, but that hasn't stopped efforts to keep it going -- or to make radical changes in its plans. Meeting in Orlando on Tuesday, the Florida High Speed Rail Authority acted as if it still has a job to do -- plan a $2.5 billion bullet-train system from Tampa to Orlando.

November 10, 2004 - Boston Highway Project Said Full of Leaks. The Big Dig highway project in downtown Boston is riddled with leaks dumping millions of gallons of water into the $14.6 million tunnel system, according to an engineer hired to investigate the cause of a massive leak in September. Locating and fixing the hundreds of leaks could take up to 10 years, said Jack K. Lemley, a consultant hired by the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority.

November 9, 2004 - `Issues' Man Appointed To Rescue Expressway. The local expressway authority has turned to a former high-speed rail official to get its elevated roadway project back on track. Board members voted unanimously Monday to appoint Ralph C. Mervine interim executive director of the Tampa-Hillsborough Expressway Authority. Mervine, 53, is a state transportation insider with a reputation as a troubleshooter.

November 9, 2004 - Get unstuck. Transportation hardly rated a mention in the recently concluded presidential sweepstakes. And a new federal-funding paradigm for transportation projects has languished in Congress for more than a year. But decision-makers shouldn't get the wrong idea. As the recent election revealed, gridlock still is very much on the minds of Americans -- in Florida, too.

November 8, 2004 - Quality of life slipping. We talk a lot in Southwest Florida about quality of life. Usually, we're thinking about our sunshine, beaches and warm winter weather. However, levels of traffic congestion and highway safety also are important quality of life issues. In this area, we're losing ground, according to Self magazine's annual ranking of Healthiest Places for Women to Live.

November 8, 2004 - Push Surcharge To Fund Transit. The county commissions of Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties made a smart and courageous decision in agreeing to again seek approval from the state Legislature for an automobile license tag surcharge to help fund transportation projects. Now they must work together to gain support from South Florida legislators.

November 4, 2004 - Pro-Rail Forces Have to Regroup. The bullet train was effectively derailed Tuesday, leaving its supporters to decide whether to pick up the pieces or walk away from the wreckage.

November 4, 2004 - Bullet train issue may still be alive. Better financing, memorable TV ads and confusing ballot language all contributed to the successful campaign to strip the bullet train from the state Constitution, leaders on both sides said Wednesday. But while Floridians voted almost 2-1 to repeal the constitutional mandate for a statewide high-speed rail system, the issue may not be dead.

November 4, 2004 - Despite defeat, bullet train backers aren't giving up. Again, the bullet train has been stopped in its tracks. And again, high-speed rail backers say their fight will go on until Florida's gridlock ceases.

November 3, 2004 - Told the cost, Florida voters knocked bullet train off the tracks. A Florida bullet train network lost its appeal once a price tag was attached. A high speed rail system approved four years ago was resoundingly halted in its tracks by those same voters Tuesday.

November 3, 2004 - Voters kick high-speed train off state's agenda. A bullet-train network approved by voters in 2000 was knocked off the tracks Tuesday with opponents convincing voters this time around that the project was an expensive boondoggle.

November 1, 2004 - Fall 2004 Issue of the Florida Transportation Builder. The Fall 2004 issue of the Florida Transportation Builder contains an article on the 2004 FBT Retreat.

October 29, 2004 - Is It Time To Change Lanes?. It will come down to the cash. Transportation experts believe the state has it, and they aren't sure the local expressway authority has the ability to raise it. That could put the Florida's Turnpike Enterprise in the best position to finish the troubled elevated highway project on the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway.

October 29, 2004 - Gov. Bush stumps for anti-bullet train amendment. Making their anti-bullet train pitch to the voters, Gov. Jeb Bush and Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher warned Thursday of prohibitive costs if Floridians don't pass an amendment relieving the state of the burden of building a high speed rail network.

October 27, 2004 - Expressway Authority's future at risk. Incoming Senate President Tom Lee confirmed Tuesday that top state officials are considering legislation to abolish the Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority and hand its troubled elevated road project to another agency.

October 26, 2004 - Agency Lobbies for Billboard Industry. Gov. Jeb Bush handled himself well during the recent barrage of hurricanes, but he has made a mistake in allowing the Florida Department of Transportation to lobby for hurricane aid for the billboard industry. The Orlando Sentinel recently reported that two top state DOT officials went to Washington to campaign for aid to the industry.

October 22, 2004 - Traffic problems are like classic-rock stations -- in Overdrive. Our traffic problems are getting worse, according to a recent study by the Institute of Discovering Things That Make You Go "Duh."

October 21, 2004 - Encourage smarter solutions. On Nov. 2, Floridians will have the chance to reverse what could have been a costly decision to squander billions of dollars on high-speed rail in the state.

October 21, 2004 - Floridians should vote no. Now that Floridians have begun voting, we must all finally sort out truth from scare tactics on a host of issues. High-speed rail is one issue that has suffered from a misleading scare campaign against it.

October 14, 2004 - Four years after passage, bullet train goes back to voters. Will a bullet train help free Floridians from snarling traffic or is it one-way express to financial disaster? The argument comes to a head on Nov. 2, when voters decide whether they really meant it when they said four years ago they want a high-speed rail network crisscrossing Florida. Amendment 6, if passed, would repeal the constitutional amendment approved in 2000.

October 12, 2004 - Bullet train's backers roll out own ad drive. FBT Proponents of the high-speed bullet train unveiled a $70,000 advertising campaign Monday, urging voters to defeat an amendment aimed at derailing development of the train.

October 11, 2004 - Vote To Repeal Bullet Train. Voters don't like to be told they made a mistake, but Florida voters made a big one when they approved a constitutional amendment requiring the state to build and operate a high-speed rail system connecting Florida's largest urban areas. They have a chance to rectify their error on Nov. 2.

October 1, 2004 - "Transportation Saves . . ." Article. FBT Preszident Doug Callaway's article on "Transportation Saves . . ." appears in the October issue of the "Disseminator" newsletter.

October 1, 2004 - Congress Abandons Highway, Welfare Bills. Struggling to wrap up its work so members can campaign, Congress has effectively put off until next year passage of two top legislative goals: a new highway spending bill and a revised welfare reform bill. The measures have been heralded as means to add tens of thousands of people to the nation's work rolls, by getting people off welfare or creating road construction jobs.

September 28, 2004 - Another Gas Tax Myth Exposed. Dr. William Buechner of ARTBA explains how raising the federal motor fuels excise by a nickel to finance a $375 billion highway and transit program would not hurt the economy or cost jobs.

September 22, 2004 - Senators Move to Put Off New Highway Bill. Three leading senators blamed election-year politics Tuesday for effectively blocking passage of a multiyear highway spending bill and proposed that Congress accept a six-month extension of federal funding at current, less generous levels.

September 22, 2004 - Hands Off My Ballot, Coalition Tells State. A coalition of public interest groups has announced that it is organizing "Hands Off Florida," an effort to fight what one member called an "insidious" amendment.

September 21, 2004 - Special Interest Group Formed to Block Constitutional Amendment Reform. FBT President Doug Callaway received an email message today from the "Hands Off Florida" coalition.

September 17, 2004 - Escambia Bay Bridge Collapses, Will Take Weeks To Repair. Hurricane Ivan left a section of Interstate 10 a swayed and twisted mess over Escambia Bay, as if a giant had picked up the highway and snapped it, leaving sections askew and a long stretch with no roadbed. A quarter-mile section of the eastbound I-10 bridge, called the Escambia Bay Bridge, collapsed into the water Thursday.

September 15, 2004 - State says lost tolls could cost $30-million. The free ride on most of Florida's toll roads ends this morning, with state officials estimating that the storm-driven moratorium on tolls could wind up costing the highway system as much as $30-million in lost revenue. While the losses are not covered by insurance, they are not expected to slow any future road-building projects so long as the state gets through the rest of the storm season unscathed.

September 10, 2004 - HOV lane hinders working people. While I can understand the Department of Transportation wanting to maximize usage of Interstate 95, extending the hours of the high-occupancy vehicle lane is not the best way to go about it.

September 10, 2004 - Contrary to popular belief, there is no gridlock, and traffic is fixable. The headline on a recent Herald-Tribune story about Sarasota County's road-building spending read: "County can't pave way out of gridlock." That's not entirely true, but it does represent the thinking of a chunk of our community.

September 9, 2004 - Miami traffic among top 10. A little news to lighten the post-Frances mess: Everyone knows the Los Angeles gridlock is the worst in the country, but Miami's rank is - like a car on I-95 in rush hour - slowly creeping onto congestion top 10 lists. The only Florida city to rank on the top 10 list, Miami placed No. 9 in a report by the Texas Transportation Institute.

September 8, 2004 - Congress to spend $2 billion in hurricane relief. Congress returned from recess Tuesday and moved quickly to spend $2 billion in hurricane relief to deal with the aftermath of last month's storm, Hurricane Charley. Leaders said more help is on the way for Hurricane Frances.

September 8, 2004 - Traffic getting worse. The nation's traffic problems are getting worse faster than they can be fixed even in small cities like Brownsville, Texas, and Pensacola. And in the 85 biggest U.S. cities, snarled traffic is costing travelers 3.5 billion hours a year, up from 700 million two decades ago, according to the Texas Transportation Institute's annual Urban Mobility Report, released Tuesday.

September 8, 2004 - Average motorist spends 46 hours each year stuck in rush-hour traffic. The average U.S. motorist spends 46 hours each year or nearly two full days stuck in rush-hour traffic jams, according to an annual report released on Tuesday by the transportation institute at Texas A&M University.

August 19, 2004 - Court Approves Ballot Wording for Train Measure. Ballot language advising voters the state could save billions if they reversed their position on the state's high-speed train project was approved Wednesday by the Florida Supreme Court. The brief order was unanimous.

August 4, 2004 - Governor Bush Announces $100 Million Priority Project List for Strategic Intermodal System (SIS) Connectors.

July 19, 2004 - Florida Chamber Chair Fred Leonhardt Delivers VoteSmartFlorida.org’s Campaign Messages to Hundreds Attending FBT Leadership Retreat.

June 28, 2004 - Latest Federal Transportation Action: Florida Chamber Supports 95 Percent Threshold.

May 17, 2004 - Federal Transportation Bill Continues to Sputter Along.

May 13, 2004 - Hope Wanes on Highway Bill.

May 5, 2004 - Florida Chamber Helps Protect State Transportation Funds -- and Florida's Future.

May 2004 - Follow the Money: Transportation Funding in Tallahassee and Washington.

April 16, 2004 - Last summer, people noticed something funny about the new Memorial Causeway Bridge: From the ground, it was easy to see that two unfinished sections over the main channel didn't line up. By a lot. In fact, the piece to the east loomed about 3 feet higher than its neighbor to the west, prompting worried residents to call the St. Petersburg Times.

April 16, 2004 - The soil beneath the elevated lanes of Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway will undergo additional testing to search for other subterranean surprises that could threaten the project. Tampa-Hillsborough Expressway Authority officials and their contractors said Thursday that they used ground-penetrating radar Wednesday night to gather soil information.

April 16, 2004 - A bill that could open the door to highway extensions and added toll lanes that would allow drivers to literally buy themselves out of traffic jams if they choose was approved by a House committee Wednesday.

April 16, 2004 - At Thursdays Jacksonville Transportation Authority meeting, local and national experts stressed the importance of establishing an Intelligent Transportation System in Jacksonville. The estimated $75 million system uses fiber optic cables to assess citywide traffic patterns and make corresponding adjustments and advisories.

April 16, 2004 - Anheuser-Busch has joined the battle against a proposed bullet train in Florida, saying it will force higher taxes and siphon money from other state needs. The company, which owns central Florida's Busch Gardens and SeaWorld theme parks, said highway expansion would be a better option..

April 16, 2004 - They want to tell you: 'Check's in the mail' House Speaker Johnnie Byrd's desire to give drivers relief from gas prices could result in a rebate for all Floridians with a car.

April 15, 2004 - Giving Florida drivers some relief from high gas prices has become a top goal of House Speaker Johnnie Byrd and may result in a rebate for all Floridians with a car.

April 11, 2004 - Increasing gas tax has support in both parties.

April 9, 2004 - Trust fund overhaul could boost bottom line.

April 9, 2004 - Dime at the pump adds up to $90M loss.

April 9, 2004 - Showtime.

April 8, 2004 - Gallagher lobbies for repeal of bullet train.

April 8, 2004 - Senate Dems Seek 'Pre-Conferencing' Of Transportation Measure.

April 2004 - Leadership: A More Practical Approach?

March 31, 2004 - Highway Bill Debate On Hold As Leaders Face GOP Dissent.

March 22, 2004 - Today's Chamber Insider includes an article encouraging all legislators to "do the right thing" and use the Transportation Trust Fund for transportation purposes only. See today's Chamber Insider.

March 22, 2004 - The involvement of Gov. Jeb Bush and Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher in the ballot initiative to derail the Florida bullet train has raised questions about the "firewall" between public office and political campaigns. See today's Pensacola News Journal story on this issue.

March 9, 2004 - Today, Florida's Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher joined forces with House Speaker Designate Allen Bense, Senate Democratic Leader Ron Klein, and Representative Bob Allen to derail the bullet train. Representatives Dennis Baxley, Fred Brummer, Carl Domino, Andy Gardiner, Gayle Harrell, Ron Reagan, and David Rivera, and Senators Charlie Clary and Rudy Garcia also threw their support behind the effort. See the Press Release from this event.

March 4, 2004 - Today, Governor Jeb Bush, along with CFO Tom Gallagher and Palm Beach Co. Commissioner Burt Aaronson, held a press conference urging the repeal of legislation that provides for a high-speed railway in Florida. See the Press Release from this event.

March 3, 2004 - Read the article in the March 2004 edition of Florida Trend magazine titled, "Tallahassee Trend: Budget Icebergs".

March 1, 2004 - As House and Senate leaders continue their efforts to craft a new bill to fund transportation investments over the next six years, here's the latest FBT Federal Update on what you need to know.

January 15, 2004 - AAA Auto Club South Vice President Kevin Bakewell really hits the nail on the head when he writes that "Diverted Road Funds Jeopardize Safety, Commerce & Tourism." Click here to read Kevin's excellent article from the January/February issue of AAA's "Going Places" magazine. AAA Auto Club South has over 2 million members in Florida . . . and they vote!.

January 7, 2004 - Here's the "STOP HIGHWAY ROBBERY" cover story -- written by FBT President Doug Callaway -- from the Winter 2004 edition of Florida Transportation Builder magazine.

December 10, 2003 - Today's Tallahassee Democrat includes a story about Senate President-designate Tom Lee containing some very encouraging words for those interested in transportation and opposed to "raids" on the Transportation Trust Fund. Click here to access this article.

November 7, 2003 - Read the "Transportation Lets You Live Your Life" essay by FBT President Doug Callaway that appears in the Fall 2003 issue of Florida Transportation Builder magazine.

October 13, 2003 - The Florida Department of Transportation has issued "A Pocket Guide to Florida Transportation Trends and Conditions". The Guide addresses the growing demand for transportation facilities and services, the current system or supply, and the impacts of the system on our society.

September 28, 2003 - Materials from the 2003 FBT Leadership Retreat are now available.

July 24, 2003 - "FBT Partners With TRIP on Elder Driver Issues" - read more about FBT's partnership with The Road Information Program to publicize a TRIP report.

July 1, 2003 - "Florida Transportation Leaders Bring Message to the Capitol" - a report from the June 25-26 trip to Washington, D.C.

July 23, 2003 - Read "House Leaders Reiterate Opposition To Increase In Gas Tax" - an article from the Congress Daily.

May 25, 2003 - Read "Politics is Personal" - an article from the May 2003 FES Journal.

February 26, 2003 - FBT PRESS RELEASE - Transportation, Business, Local Government Leaders Oppose Trust Fund Raid
(Print Version)

February 26, 2003 - Read the Florida Chamber "Insider" story about the press conference held by FBT and the Chamber, "Florida Chamber and Floridians for Better Transportation Speak Out Against Proposed Raid of the State Transportation Fund".

February 19, 2003 - Read "Crane Helped Put Florida Transportation in Better Condition" - an article on Don Crane from the Winter 2003 edition of Florida Transportation Builder.

February 12, 2003 - "Callaway Brings to FBT State, National, Public-Private-Sector Experience" - an article on Doug Callaway from the Winter 2003 edition of Florida Transportation Builder.

February 4, 2003 - FBT PRESS RELEASE - FBT Names Doug Callaway New President
(Print Version)

December 7, 2002 - "Transportation: A Bumpy Ride Over Transportation Taxes" - an article on federal transportation reauthorization from the 12/7/02 issue of the National Journal.