It's always good to remember where you come from and celebrate it. To remember where you come from is part of where you're going. – Anthony Burgess

Greetings FSITE members, esteemed colleagues, and friends!

I hope this message finds you well.  It’s hard to believe that 2010 is almost half over! However, the remainder of 2010 is shaping-up to be action-packed and filled with numerous scheduled FSITE events and activities. 

On January 22nd and 23rd, the ITE District 10/FSITE Executive Board held its Annual Retreat in Tampa at the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) on the campus of the University of South Florida. Much of the Board’s discussion at the Retreat focused on strategic planning items related to how best to respond to anticipated changes in Florida’s transportation industry over the next five years. From this thought provoking strategic planning session, the Board directed its efforts to addressing four main topic areas: Quality of Life, Professional Knowledge and Public Policy, Profession, and Collaboration among Transportation Organizations. By concentrating on these four main topic areas, FSITE’s leadership will be better equipped to serve the needs of our members and help sustain the organization over an extended period of time. The Retreat also served as a great opportunity for officers from our seven chapters and six student chapters across the State of Florida to take an active role in shaping FSITE’s 2010 goals and objectives, guiding long-term activities of the District 10 and FSITE, and most importantly carrying out the mission of the Institute. We would like to give specials thanks to Mr. Edward Mierzejewski for his generosity in allowing us to use CUTR’s facilities for the Retreat and for his ongoing support of FSITE throughout the years.

On February 10th, FSITE conducted its Winter Workshop at the FDOT District 5 Urban Office in Orlando. This one-day workshop featured numerous speakers from state and local governments, and representatives from both the consulting industry and the private development community. The Workshop’s discussion centered on leading-edge issues in Florida growth management legislation related to SB 360: “Community Renewal Act.” The more than 80 registered participants of this Workshop were exposed to the various challenges and opportunities Florida faces in the near future with the interpretation and implementation of the relatively new growth management laws. We greatly appreciate the guidance that Mr. Gary Sokolow from FDOT Central Office’s Systems Planning Department provided during the development of the Workshop’s outstanding program.

In June, FSITE held its Summer Meeting at the Hilton Ft. Lauderdale Beach Resort.  The theme of the meeting was “Keeping Pace with Change: Are you up-to-date with the latest in Transportation.” The meeting featured speakers that are well versed on recent updates to various transportation manuals such as the 2009 Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 2010 Highway Capacity Manual (HCM), Highway Safety Manual (HSM), ITE Trip Generation 8th Edition, and ITE Traffic Engineering Handbook, 6th Edition.   

On October 24-27, FSITE will be celebrating its 50th Anniversary at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort in Orlando. This is a very special occasion for our organization and it’s important that we take the time to honor our past leaders for their accomplishments. Without the leadership qualities exhibited by our founding members and past presidents, FSITE would not be the premier transportation professional organization in Florida. The theme of the meeting is “50 Years of FSITE in Transportation: How Lessons from the Past will Guide US for the Next 50 Years.” 

To put things into perspective for members who weren’t even born in 1960 (i.e., myself), our President was Dwight D. Eisenhower, an American U-2 spy plane was shot down over Russia, Ben-Hur received the academy Award for Best Picture, and “Mack the Knife” was the Record of the Year. It is hard to believe that in 50 years we have progressed so far! I have also outlined a few comparisons that are noteworthy:

·      The average price of gasoline in 1960 was $0.23 compared to today’s price of $2.43;

·      Population of Florida in 1960 was 4.9 million compared to 18.5 million today; and

·      A gallon of milk was $0.60 in 1960, in contrast to about $3.50 in 2010.

The success of the 50th Anniversary Celebration will greatly depend on the enthusiasm and participation of our 1,300 members from the State of Florida and Puerto Rico. Please join me and other FSITE members in making the 50th Anniversary Celebration and event that you will never forget!

Sincerely,

Matt Wey, P.E., PTOE

President

District 10/Florida Section Institute of Transportation Engineers

 

PS. Please feel free to contact me any time (president@FloridaSectionITE.org) if you wish to volunteer at the 50th Anniversary Celebration or any other District 10/FSITE event.