This service is responsible for planning, designing, and obtaining land needed to build or expand roads. This service also promotes safe, interconnected public transportation systems (transit, rail, seaports, aviation and space) in Florida by providing grants, technical assistance, and planning support to local governments and private entities that own and operate these systems.

Transportation Systems Development consists of the following units.

• The Office of Design develops policy, procedures, criteria, and standards for the design of Florida's roadways, bridges and other structures.
• The Emergency Management Office, an element of the State Emergency Response Team, is responsible for preparing for, responding to, recovering from and mitigating against emergency situations that affect the state's inter-modal transportation systems.
• The Environmental Management Office helps the department integrate environmental and stewardship principles into all plans and programs with the goal of preserving the quality of our environment and communities.
• The Modal Development Office coordinates freight and rail, public transit, seaports, aviation, and spaceports opportunities through strategic investments, technical support, statewide planning and safety oversight that support the FDOT's comprehensive multimodal transportation system. These offices also work to build consensus among FDOT's public and private partners to advocate for transportation policies that act as economic drivers within Florida.
• Planning consists of the Office of Policy Planning, the Systems Implementation Office, and the Forecasting and Trends Office. These offices provide the foundation for programming and project delivery through innovative planning and effective outreach to strategically advance the best transportation solutions at the right time.
• The Program Management Office develops and provides policies, procedures, training, and guidance to support the design, construction and maintenance of Florida roads and bridges. This includes managing specifications, estimates, final plans, local programs, product evaluation and utilities.
• The Research Center oversees the FDOT's research program, which fosters innovation and improvement; promotes the development of efficient and cost-effective new technologies, products, and processes; encourages and supports the implementation of research results; and conducts a variety of technology transfer efforts to maximize the benefit and utilization of research results.
• The Office of Right of Way's primary mission is to acquire the real property necessary for the construction of transportation facilities. The Office of Right of Way is also charged with the control of outdoor advertising signs along state highways and management of the Logo sign program along interstate highways.
• The State Safety Office is responsible for continually improving the safety of the traveling public. The Safety Office consists of the following sections: federal highway safety grants, crash data, bicycle and pedestrian safety program, Safe Routes to School Program, crossing guard train the trainer, and employee health and safety.
• Transportation Technology oversees the alignment of Information Technology and Operational Technologies for the Florida Department of Transportation. Transportation Technology ensures the optimum development, communication, integration, oversight, and secure delivery of core and new technologies and innovations to support FDOT. This area is also responsible for the strategy and operations of the Department’s technology environment in direct support of the Department’s mission.
• The Office of Innovation supports the Department’s process of creating, incubating, and activating innovative opportunities.

Research. The 2023 Legislature enacted several laws that affected research activities of the department. Chapter 2023-188, Laws of Florida, requires the department to conduct a study of Hillsborough County's transportation operations; and Ch. 2023-311, Laws of Florida, which authorizes the Department of Transportation to undertake demonstration projects using phosphogypsum in road construction aggregate material to determine its feasibility as a paving material and a study on its feasibility as a construction material.

Transportation System Development Process. The 2023 Legislature also enacted Ch. 2023-70, Laws of Florida, which changes several aspects of the transportation system development process.

• Department Contracting. The new law increases from $250,000 to $500,000 the cap on entering into contracts for construction and maintenance without advertising and receiving competitive bids for certain circumstances, and revises requirements for design-build contracts, for example, allowing the FDOT to combine the design and construction phases of any transportation project.
• Metropolitan Planning Organizations. The law also requires the metropolitan planning organizations serving specified counties to submit a feasibility report by December 31, 2023, exploring the benefits, costs, and process of consolidation into a single Metropolitan Planning Organization serving the contiguous urbanized area. Further, the law reestablishes the Greater Miami Expressway Agency.

Other Reports
The Department of Transportation's Office of the Inspector General reports are available on its website
The Florida Transportation Commission reports on department operations and performance are available on its website

Websites of Interest
Florida Transportation Commission
U.S. Department of Transportation
U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration
American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials

Performance Information

Office of the Secretary, 850-414-4100
Website