Rick Scott Chooses Ananth Prasad to Head Up FDOT
Gov. Rick Scott may be an outsider to Tallahassee, who argues that his experience in the private sector will help spur job growth in the Sunshine State, but he chose a veteran state employee to head up the state Department of Transportation (FDOT) on Monday.
Scott selected Ananth Prasad to be FDOT secretary. While Prasad worked in the private sector for two years as vice president of a construction company, he also put in almost two decades with FDOT, most recently as assistant secretary for engineering and operations.
Bob Burleson, president of Florida Transportation Builders’ Association, praised Scott's appointment of Prasad. Here's what Burleson had to say:
“On behalf of Florida’s transportation building community, we congratulate Ananth Prasad for his well-deserved appointment to serve as the newest chief of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). Florida Transportation Builders’ Association also applauds Gov. Rick Scott for selecting such a high-regarded veteran of Florida’s transportation authority to be promoted to this principal position.
"Florida is facing challenging times and FDOT plays a significant role in the kind of private-sector job creation that this state desperately needs. Ananth is aware of Florida’s long-term and immediate transportation struggles as well as its advantages and we are certain he will continue to be a positive force within one of the state’s most important agencies.”
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Here is the post:
http://www.transitmiami.com/fdot/florida-dot-dont-build-sidewalks-when-e...
Nothing like some fresh, progressive-thinking leadership to head the FDOT and change our state’s dubious reputation as having the 4 most dangerous cities for pedestrians in the USA. (Orlando, Tampa, Miami/FLL and Jacksonville, respectively)
Unfortunately, that’s not happening. The FDOT is continually failing to sufficiently accommodate pedestrians and cyclists in their roadway designs - even on the FDOT roadways that pierce through our urban corridors like Biscayne Blvd and Brickell Avenues in Miami. More and more people are choosing to bike in the face of soaring gas prices and yet the FDOT's auto-centric designs are putting us on the path of Ireland ahead of the great potato famine. The FDOT is flying directly into the headwind of reality by appointing Prasad in light of his shockingly ignorant comments in DC a few weeks ago.
After a series of fatal and serious accidents involving pedestrians and cyclists on ill-designed FDOT roads, no local Miami official has been able to effectively influence the FDOT to make safety a prioriy for ALL users of the road, not just those in sealed metal compartments that pollute the air.
Simply put, the FDOT is a rouge agency, accountable to no one, and the appoint of Prasad is terrible news for anyone optimistic for the development and fostering of complete streets in Florida.
