Resilience

FDOT has a long-standing commitment to improving the resiliency of the state transportation system to support the safety, mobility, quality of life, and economic prosperity of Florida, while preserving the quality of our environment and communities. Years of extreme weather events have led FDOT to improve the system’s resiliency including better preparation for storms and well as quicker recovery in the event of extreme weather. Use of design techniques such as pavement markings, roundabouts, high mast lighting, and planning tools such as the Sea Level Rise Sketch Planning Tool which provides roadways impact data for a range of climate and flooding scenarios has helped make our transportation system inherently resilient. 

To solidify this commitment, FDOT enacted a Resiliency Policy to consider the resiliency of the State’s transportation system. In this policy, resiliency is defined as: 

“the ability of the transportation system to adapt to changing conditions and prepare for, withstand, and recover from disruption.” 

This forward-looking policy is being implemented throughout the Department’s long-range and modal plans, the work program, asset management plans, and research efforts. Additionally, this policy is being consistently implemented within internal manuals, guidelines, and documents which guide Department planning, programming, project development, design, construction, operations, and maintenance. Recent legislation at both the federal and state level further this commitment through a focus on resiliency with the federal  Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The IIJA created the Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) program and Section 339.157, Florida Statutes requiring the Department to develop a Resilience Action Plan (RAP).  

Funding 

The IIJA established both formula and competitive grant programs for the PROTECT program, with guidance published by USDOT in July 2022. The PROTECT formula program is projected to provide FDOT with more than $365 million over the next 5 years.  

It is anticipated that the formula funds will be distributed to FDOT’s Districts by statutory formula, similar to distribution for other formula programs. The Districts will use the project priority lists provided by the local governments and MPOs to match appropriate funding sources to projects.