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Achievements In 1954, FDOT completed the original Sunshine Skyway Bridge, the first fixed span to connect Saint Petersburg directly to Bradenton. This shortened the travel time between the two cities greatly, as before cars would have to either use a ferry or drive about 100 miles around Tampa Bay. A parallel span was completed in 1971 to make the bridge Interstate standard, and it became part of I-275. After the southbound (newer) span was destroyed in 1980 when the SS ''Summit Venture'' collided with it, a replacement bridge was completed in 1987. In 1974, FDOT completed Florida's Turnpike, a 309-mile limited access toll highway that connected the panhandle area through Orlando to Miami. The turnpike is part of an initiative to finance transportation with user fees. In 2004, FDOT reopened the I-10 Escambia bridge 17 days after Hurricane Ivan ripped it apart . In recent years, FDOT has had much experience in emergency repairs, including a sinkhole that destroyed most of westbound I-4 in Lake Mary in 2001, a tanker truck fire that critically damaged a ramp from SR 528 to I-4 in Orlando in 2002, and a car accident that destroyed an I-75 overpass near Gainesville in 2003. Structure Each of FDOT's eight semi-autonomous districts is managed by a District Secretary. The FDOT Secretary is responsible for coordinating the Department as a whole. The Florida Transportation Commission, made up of nine commissioners chosen by Florida's Governor and Legislature, provides oversight for FDOT. On March 5, 2003, Governor Jeb Bush appointed José Abreu, P.E., as Secretary of FDOT. On June 27, 2005, Governor Jeb Bush appointed Denver Stutler, Jr., as Secretary of FDOT. Previously, Sutler was Bush's chief of staff. See also | ||||||||||
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