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2008 Industry Outlook
Transportation 2008
Thinking outside the pump: As people drive less and use more fuel-efficient cars, funding improvements is becoming more problematic.
When U.S. District Judge William Hoeveler ruled that the Army Corps of Engineers failed to protect the environment by approving limestone mining in the Lake Belt, three of Florida’s major rock companies had to shut down their Lake Belt operations, raising concerns about finding enough aggregate supplies for road projects. Expected shortages and price increases have yet to materialize, but transportation officials continue to monitor the situation.
 ROAD IMPROVEMENTS: Sally Patrenos says the state’s environmental program is a national model. [Photo: Ray Stanyard] |
Going Green
A tough regulatory environment is forcing transportation officials to consider green aspects of their projects. According to Sally Patrenos, executive director of the Florida Transportation Commission, the state’s Efficient Transportation Decision Making program is viewed as the model at the national level for protecting air quality, water and wildlife. When building a road, for example, the FDOT has to obtain permits from several agencies to lessen the environmental impact. If it removes trees, it has to plant more elsewhere. If a project impacts wetlands, the department has to compensate by creating additional wetlands.
The Trends
? More public/private partnerships, as traditional funding sources for facilities construction become less certain
? Increased use of mass transit and more transit-oriented developments, any kind of commercial or residential development related to a transit stop, including trains, rail and buses
? Possible increase in price of construction materials because of a building boom in China and the widening of the Panama Canal
? New infrastructure projects related to international trade, like the new Mitsui O.S.K. Lines terminal at Dames Point in Jacksonville, which is scheduled to open in December.
