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County Administrator's Report 14. 3.

BCC Regular Meeting

Discussion

Meeting Date:	01/24/2019
Issue: Bob Sikes Bridge Toll Plaza - SRIA Board Letter
From:	Joy Jones
Department:	Public Works
CAO Approval:

RECOMMENDATION:

Recommendation Concerning a Letter From the Santa Rosa Island Authority Board Regarding the Bob Sikes Bridge Toll Plaza - Joy Jones, P.E., Engineering Department Director

That the Board consider a request from the Santa Rosa Island Authority (SRIA) Board, regarding activation of a second dedicated SunPass Lane at the Bob Sikes Bridge Toll Plaza.

[Funding: Funding for the consultant services and subsequent roadway work is allocated in the Bob Sikes Bridge Toll Maintenance Fund (Fund 167, Cost Center 140302, Object Code 56301)]

BACKGROUND:

On June 1, 2016, the Bob Sikes Bridge Toll Plaza (Toll Plaza) was officially converted to accept electronic toll collection (ETC) as required by the 2014 federal mandate. The mandate required that all toll facilities be interoperable by October 2016.

In order to meet the deadline for the mandate, it was determined that major system upgrades would have to be made to the Toll Plaza and that the FDOT SunPass electronic tolling system would be used for toll collection. Meeting in regular session on July 7, 2015, the Board entered into a contract with TransCore to design, develop, and implement a new SunPass Toll System at the Bob Sikes Bridge Toll Plaza. The new system provides customers with multiple transaction options for passage through the Toll Plaza to access Pensacola Beach, including the use of cash, SunPass, Pensacola Beach Annual Pass (via SunPass), or Toll-By-Plate (via SunPass).

Currently, the Toll Plaza has a single dedicated SunPass Lane (Lane 1), and 3 mixed-use lanes (Lanes 2-4). Although the mixed-used lanes still accept cash, the lanes were developed to be "turnkey" in order to allow for the dedicated SunPass activation without the need for additional equipment. All 4 lanes accept the Pensacola Beach Annual Pass.

County and SRIA staff recently met to discuss the request, suggested options for the most efficient traffic configurations, including consideration of public safety, and the outcome of the meeting was for staff to perform an in-house study to determine the two most appropriate lanes to use as the dedicated SunPass Lanes.

Staff, after site visits and traffic evaluations, recommends modifying the travel lanes heading onto CR 399 from US 98 to allow for the southbound dual rights from US 98 to become the "through lanes" and the single southbound "through lane" to become the "merge lane," that Lanes 1 & 2 of the Toll Plaza serve as the mixed-use lanes, and Lanes 3 & 4 serve as the dedicated SunPass Lanes. However, staff further recommends that a consultant be solicited to provide the following three items prior to any work or lane reconfigurations begin:

1) Prepare formal pavement markings and signage plan (to be reviewed internally and by FDOT)
2) Prepare the FDOT-required MOT plan, and receive FDOT approval
3) Prepare and receive any other necessary FDOT or local agency permits

Funding for the consultant services and subsequent roadway work is allocated in the Bob Sikes Bridge Toll Maintenance Fund.

BUDGETARY IMPACT:

Funding for the consultant services and subsequent roadway work is allocated in the Bob Sikes Bridge Toll Maintenance Fund (Fund 167, Cost Center 140302, Object Code 56301).

LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS/SIGN-OFF:

N/A

PERSONNEL:

N/A

POLICY/REQUIREMENT FOR BOARD ACTION:

N/A

IMPLEMENTATION/COORDINATION:

Upon Board approval, staff will coordinate with all appropriate agencies and departments for implementation and public notice.

Attachments
SRIA Letter to BCC
BCC Minutes 7 7 15
Diagram - proposed