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Florida

The Rural Context For Transportation Consultations

Florida is near average in land area, 4th largest in population, and 8th most densely populated. Only 15 percent of Florida's population lives in rural areas while 58 percent of its roads are rural. Federally owned lands amount to 8 percent of the state's land area.

Florida is one of the fastest growing states in the nation, as measured by population. The unemployment rate is 3.7 percent (below the national average). Agricultural jobs are 2.7 percent of all jobs and mining accounts for only 0.1 percent.

Governmentally, Florida has 67 counties, a fairly manageable number compared to many other states. The state also has 400 municipalities but no towns or townships. It ranks in the middle, compared to other states, in terms of the number of local governments. Florida has two resident Indian tribes plus three additional federally recognized tribes with significant historical and cultural ties to the state.

Florida has 11 regional planning councils and 25 Metropolitan Planning Organizations. The regional planning councils assist local governments and play a role in rural transportation programs as described below.

In addition, the 1997 U.S. Census of Governments, has identified 23 independent, special-purpose governments in Florida that have transportation responsibilities. This number is lower than in many other states. These special-purpose governments include 5 for highways, 6 for airports, 6 for water transport, and 6 for transit. Florida also has 43 other public transit providers serving rural areas and an additional 226 organizations that provide specialized transit services to elderly and disabled populations in those same areas.

Florida's transportation system includes 115,957 centerline miles of roadway, of which 10 percent are state-controlled (39,066 lane miles) and 1.4 percent are federally controlled. The system also includes 760 aviation facilities (128 of which are public and 19 of which have scheduled service); 23 transit systems; 14 seaports; and 2,888 miles of railways.

Processes For Consultation And Cooperation With Local Officials In Non-Metropolitan Areas

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is responsible for developing the Florida Transportation Plan and the annual Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). Implementation of these planning and programming processes are largely decentralized in FDOT's seven geographic districts (An eighth district is a statewide district for turnpikes). Most highway funds are administered by the FDOT district offices. Public transportation funds are distributed to eligible transit, rail, seaport and aviation authorities. The Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged (FCTD) was created to coordinate the transportation services provided to the transportation disadvantaged. FCTD is an independent entity that prepares a statewide five-year transportation disadvantaged plan which must be coordinated with local transit plans and local government comprehensive plans.

Florida has 11 regional planning councils that provide a regional focus for transportation and other programs and assist local governments in resolving common problems. Local elected officials are involved in the regional transportation planning process by serving on the supervisory board of their regional planning council and also on the local coordinating board of FCTD. State law provides that the board of county commissioners shall serve the functions of an MPO in those counties which are not federally recognized MPOs to assist in the development of FDOT's work program (and, therefore, the STIP) to the same extent as an MPO. Most MPOs are single-county, even in multi-county urbanized areas.

FDOT is concluding a major effort to update the Florida Transportation Plan. In part that effort was guided by three advisory committees and one steering committee. The state is increasingly using such committees in its planning activities.

In Florida, local governments are required to develop and adopt comprehensive plans, including a transportation element, to guide overall development. The FDOT districts review these plans to ensure that their transportation planning provisions are consistent with the State Comprehensive Plan and the Florida Transportation Plan. These reviews are coordinated by the districts with Florida's land planning agency, known as the Department of Community Affairs. FDOT is also a key player in the consultation process of developing a statewide strategy for increasing economic opportunities in Florida's rural communities and incorporating those strategies into the transportation planning processes. For example, FDOT participates in collaborative efforts such as the Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI) and the Florida State Rural Development Council (FSRDC) to resolve transportation and economic development related issues at the local government level through consultation, negotiation, and provision of technical assistance. All such efforts involve coordinating and communicating with non-metropolitan local government officials. There is also a coordinator for Transportation Enhancement and Local Agency Program projects who is available to meet on an "as needed" basis.

FDOT's districts and central office prepare a five-year work program, the first three years of which are incorporated into the STIP. Local jurisdictions hold public hearings to identify and prioritize transportation needs. Project priorities are established by county commissioners in non-metropolitan areas. Each FDOT district has a liaison who meets with county commissioners and other county officials throughout the year to address transportation project priorities. Each district establishes its own consultation procedures; they may, however, include participating in technical committees, meeting periodically with county administrators and staff, or participating in county-sponsored planning exercises. Through the consultation and review process, local priorities are incorporated into district work programs. FDOT also requires a priority listing from all public transportation entities. These priorities are coordinated with other district priorities and included, as appropriate, into the centrally developed work program.

The draft work program is submitted to counties for review. A public meeting is held, usually a regular county commission meeting, where input is received. Each county commission is requested to either endorse or deny endorsement of the entire program. After all public meetings, a rural public hearing is held to solicit additional testimony and input.

Preparation of the STIP includes issues related to transportation needs of Indian Tribes and federal agencies. FHWA provides FDOT with a listing of projects from the current Indian Reservation Road Transportation Improvement Program and the current Public Lands Improvement Program that are included in the STIP.

FDOT funds transportation projects in rural areas from state and federal revenue sources in consultation with the affected local governments. These state and federal funds may be used to finance appropriate transportation planning, construction, maintenance, and operation activities in rural areas. Most funding is allocated to the FDOT districts for capacity improvements and system preservation projects. Larger projects are prioritized regionally and then statewide. FDOT conducts an annual review of funds to assure that each county receives at least 80 percent of its fair share over a ten-year time frame. Counties may levy a tax of up to 11 cents on each gallon of gasoline.

A portion of State transportation revenues are provided to each district as District Dedicated Revenues (DDR). These funds may be used for transportation improvements on the state highway system and for public transportation in the specific transportation district where the tax proceeds were collected. To the maximum extent feasible, DDR funds must be used in the county from which they were generated.

Public transportation funds are distributed to eligible transit, rail, seaport, and aviation authorities. FCTD has a dedicated trust fund, the Transportation Disadvantaged Trust Fund (TDTF), to support coordinated transportation functions in both rural and urban areas. This fund receives 15 percent of the Surface Transportation Trust Fund's Public Transit Block Grant; $1.50 of each vehicle registration fee (under 5,000 lbs.); $5.00 of every temporary disabled parking permit; and voluntary $1.00 contributions from vehicle registration fees. The fund is used to operate the statewide program, to provide grants to Community Transportation Coordinators (CTCs) using a formula based on trips, vehicle miles, population, and square miles, and for planning grants.

Florida uses these practices:

State Process to Identify Needs: County Commissioners and regional councils identify and prioritize projects for consideration in each FDOT district work program. Transit and aviation authorities are required to submit priority project listings to FDOT. FHWA provides FDOT with lists of Indian and federal lands projects.
State Hearings: FDOT holds public meetings, often at regular county commission meetings, and rural public hearings to solicit testimony and input on the draft work program.
Roles of RPOs: Regional planning councils assist local governments in developing local comprehensive plans and setting priorities for transportation and transit projects.
State Policy-Making and Advisory Bodies: The Florida Legislature; the Florida Transportation Commission; the Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged; various advisory and steering committees help guide transportation planning.
Other Practices: Each non-metropolitan area has an FDOT liaison who meets with county commissioners and other county officials throughout the year to address transportation project priorities which were developed with community involvement. FDOT districts establish individual consultation practices; some include participating in county-sponsored planning exercises or sitting on local technical advisory committees.

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