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Transportation Advantages in Florida
Reaching the World
Interconnected transportation systems ensure swift, efficient movement of people and products.
From Florida, it’s possible to reach the world and beyond. With its interconnected web of highways, railways, airports and seaports plus the Spaceport at Cape Canaveral Florida is domestically and internationally connected in virtually every conceivable way.
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• Non-stop scheduled air service is available from Florida to more than 160 domestic and international destinations.
• Florida airports generate nearly $90 billion annually in economic activity and support more than 1 million jobs. |
Into the Air
With 20 commercial airports, Florida offers some of the nation’s most convenient flight options to domestic and international destinations. Stimulus dollars made available by passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 are helping many airports in Florida upgrade their facilities. For example:- Melbourne International Airport plans to rehabilitate existing taxiways, taxilanes and aprons and replace runway and taxiway edge lights and path indicators at both ends of its “5-23” runway.
- Tallahassee Regional Airport will upgrade its security system and conduct a condition analysis of runways, taxiways and other pavements with an eye toward future repairs and enhancements.
- Charlotte County Airport in Punta Gorda is looking to improve its main ramp.
- Sarasota Bradenton International Airport will improve airport safety by rehabilitating the pavement on its crosswind runway; a similar project was completed on the main runway in 2007.
- St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport plans significant improvements to its terminal as well as airside apron rehabilitation.
» Panama City-Bay County International
The biggest news in Florida’s air transportation sector this year is the scheduled May 2010 opening of the Panama City-Bay County International Airport, the first international airport to be built in the U.S. since September 11, 2001, and the first to feature a LEED-certified terminal. Constructed over two years at a total cost of $318 million from federal, state and local sources, the airport is expected to host 600,000 passengers annually by 2020.
» Miami International (MIA)
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recognized its operations at Miami International Airport as being best in the nation during 2008. On average, more than 90% of the nearly 34 million passengers who pass through MIA each year wait less than 10 minutes to be processed through security. MIA recently added an in-line baggage system, new checkpoints in the south terminal and at two concourses and installed advanced technology X-rays and whole body imaging systems.
» Tampa International (TPA)
The $8 million in stimulus funds awarded to TPA in March 2009 will go toward the full $52 million needed to construct an elevated taxiway connecting existing terminal facilities with the planned new North Terminal Complex; construction is expected to begin in fall 2009. In other developments, TPA ranked 1st nationwide in overall quality of USA airports in the 2008 U.S. and International Airlines Survey by Zagat, the New York-based travel and dining guides publisher.
» Orlando International (MCO)
With more than 35 million travelers annually, Orlando International is the busiest passenger airport in Florida. In January 2009, MCO expanded its global connections with the addition of JetBlue’s daily non-stop service to Bogota, Colombia, thus providing a direct link to the second largest Hispanic market in central Florida and an anticipated annual economic impact of $44 million to the community.
» Gainesville Regional
Energy-efficient lighting, a more open layout and expanded secured waiting areas are among the visible improvements passengers now enjoy thanks to the $7-million Phase II terminal renovation completed in 2008. Behind the scenes, approximately $2.1 million has been put toward new heating, air conditioning and electrical work.
| Florida’s International & Commercial Airports | |
| Charlotte County Airport | flypgd.com |
| Daytona Beach International | flydaytonafirst.com |
| Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International | broward.org/airport |
| Gainesville Regional | gra-gnv.com |
| Jacksonville International | jia.aero |
| Key West International | keywestinternational airport.com |
| Melbourne International | mlbair.com |
| Miami International | miami-airport.com |
| Naples Municipal | flynaples.com |
| Northwest Florida Regional | flyvps.com |
| Orlando International | orlandoairports.net |
| Orlando Sanford International | orlandosanford airport.com |
| Palm Beach International | pbia.org |
| Panama City-Bay County International | pcairport.com |
| Pensacola Regional | flypensacola.com |
| Sarasota Bradenton International | srq-airport.com |
| Southwest Florida International | flylcpa.com |
| St. Petersburg-Clearwater International | fly2pie.com |
| Tallahassee Regional | flytallahassee.com |
| Tampa International | tampaairport.com |
