Press Release

Press Release

About the Task Force

The Task Force will include representatives from state agencies, local governments, regional planning councils, private landowners, environmental organizations, business and economic development interests, and members of the public. The purpose of the Task Force is to provide consensus recommendations on maximizing existing and developing new high-capacity transportation corridors to serve the Tampa Bay-Northeast Florida study area with initial emphasis on the region west of I-75.

Task Force Purpose and Charge - Revised 2/18/16

Charge

• Adapt previously developed guiding principles for planning the future of Florida’s transportation corridors as needed to ensure that they are relevant to the study area.
• Identify opportunities and constraints related to environmental resources including natural lands and surface and groundwater resources, agriculture, land use and development, property rights, economic development, quality of life, and other statewide and regional issues that should be considered in planning for future transportation corridors in the study area.
• Solicit and consider input from government agencies, property owners, agricultural interests, business and economic development interests, environmental organizations, other stakeholders, and residents of the study area.
• Recommend the purpose and need for high-capacity, high-speed transportation corridors in the study area with emphasis on providing relief to I-75, increasing safety, improving statewide and regional connectivity, and enhancing economic development opportunities.
• Recommend a range of alternatives for accomplishing the purpose and need, including maximizing the use of existing transportation facilities and developing new transportation facilities, with consideration of multiple modes (such as highways, passenger and freight rail, and trails) and multiple uses (such as utilities, pipelines, and other linear infrastructure).
• Recommend the approach that should be used to evaluate and narrow these alternatives.
• Recommend corridors to be incorporated into regional and local long-range plans and to be advanced to future phases of project development.
• Recommend a proposed implementation plan for moving forward with the recommended corridors, including potential actions by FDOT, other state agencies, local governments, and other partners.

The Task Force will deliver its final recommendations in a report to the FDOT Secretary at the conclusion of its process.

Members

Task Force Members – Revised 4/8/16