TAMPA, Fla. -- Gov. Rick Scott has directed the Florida Department of Transportation to make immediate and long term changes to the state's evacuation plan in light of how Hurricane Irma was handled.
Motorists had difficulty finding gas as highways were jammed with millions leaving the state.
“It was just kind of a series of events that created a perfect storm here," said Mark Jenkins with AAA. "You’ve got everybody wanting to top off their tanks and then just weeks before, another hurricane that impacted the area that we get our gasoline from. It’s certainly a great idea to take a look at the problem that we had last year and try to figure out if there is any resolution or ways to avoid it.”
Scott has directed FDOT to implement three short term fixes by July:
- Identify critical gas stations along state evacuation routes and plan for more efficient fuel service.
- Figure out options for expanding fuel capacity for first responders.
- Coordinate with neighboring states when it comes to movement of oversize and overweigh vehicles.
Another issue was getting gas from ports to pumps, which led Scott to issue this long term plan:
- Evaluate options for additional fuel storage and dispensing by collaborating with fuel companies and Florida ports.
“The thing with gas, too, is it does have a shelf life of about three months,” Jenkins added.
With traffic flow and evacuating, the short-term fixes include:
- Expanding shoulder use. During Irma, FDOT opened up emergency lanes on the left shoulder to allow more traffic flow.
- Installing more cameras and message signs on highways.
- Increasing the department’s Florida 511 system, which provides real time traffic information.
The long-term changes include construction over the next seven years to widen the Florida Turnpike and studying good traffic management tools.
One management tool that FDOT did not use during Irma is contra-flow, which allows all highway lanes to flow in one direction. Officials said they did not utilize contra-flow so emergency vehicles could get to where they needed and supplies could be sent south, according to our news partners at The Tampa Bay Times.
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