The Florida Senate
BILL ANALYSIS AND FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT
(This document is based on the provisions contained in the legislation as of the latest date listed below.)
Prepared By: The Professional Staff of the Committee on Education
BILL: SB 1160
INTRODUCER: Senator Perry
SUBJECT: Transportation Research
DATE: February 8, 2022
ANALYST STAFF DIRECTOR REFERENCE ACTION
1. Price Vickers TR Favorable
2. Sagues Bouck ED Favorable
3. RC
I. Summary:
SB 1160 establishes the Implementing Solutions from Transportation Research and Evaluating
Emerging Technologies Living Lab (I-STREET) within the University of Florida (UF) and
provides for its duties relating to transportation research, education, workforce development, and
related issues. The bill requires I-STREET, by July 1, 2023, and annually thereafter, to provide
to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a
report outlining its goals, as well as its efforts and progress on reaching those goals.
The bill also creates an advisory board to periodically review and advise I-STREET concerning
its research program. The board consists of nine members in transportation-related areas, as
follows:
Two members, one each appointed by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the
House of Representatives.
Two members, who are the Secretaries of Transportation and of Economic Opportunity, or
their designees.
One member from the Florida Transportation Commission.
Four members nominated by UF’s College of Engineering and approved by UF’s president,
which nominees may include representatives of UF, other academic and research institutions,
or private entities.
The bill does not provide funding for any costs associated with participation in I-STREET.
Such costs are indeterminate and are expected to be absorbed within the existing resources of the
UF, the Florida Department of Transportation, and other participants.
The bill takes effect on July 1, 2022.
REVISED: BILL: SB 1160 Page 2
II. Present Situation:
The Implementing Solutions from Transportation Research and Evaluating Emerging
Technologies Living Lab
The University of Florida (UF) College of Engineering Transportation Institute, the Florida
Department of Transportation (FDOT), and the City of Gainesville created the Implementing
Solutions from Transportation Research and Evaluating Emerging Technologies Living (I-
STREET) on the UF campus and surrounding highway network. The testbed deploys and
evaluates numerous advanced technologies such as autonomous vehicles, smart devices, and
sensors to enhance mobility and safety.
1
The missions of I-STREET is to provide a unique ecosystem for the collaboration, research,
testing, and market delivery of innovative mobility and safety solutions that scales to cities
around the world.
2
The main goals of I-STREET are to:
3
Improve mobility and safety on the campus and around Gainesville;
Facilitate the development and implementation of advanced technologies invented at UF.
Quantify the minimum criteria for operators to safely engage with automated vehicles.
Assist industry and foster collaborations for developing and testing prototype technologies.
Become a model nationally and internationally for the use of advanced transportation
technologies.
Leverage the testbed to advance education, technology transfer, and outreach to
transportation professionals across the country.
The initial partnership contemplated a five-year project from 2017 to 2021.
4
However, I-
STREET is engaged in a number of active projects
5
and anticipates that the testbed will become
a permanent fixture at the University of Florida and testing will go on indefinitely.
6
Florida Department of Transportation University of Florida I-STREET Invitation
The FDOT is inviting transportation industry leaders for participation in the I-STREET. The
FDOT will develop requests for proposals (RFPs) utilizing the emerging technologies and will
select vendors through a competitive bidding process. The selected vendor for each project will
deploy technology solutions. The University of Florida will conduct before-and-after evaluations
of implemented projects. After evaluation, the FDOT will consider whether to expand the
successful I-STREET projects elsewhere in the state.
7
1
University of Florida Transportation Institute (UFTI), I-STREET Living Lab, I-STREET Living Lab - University of Florida
Transportation Institute (ufl.edu) (last visited Feb. 2, 2022). See UFTI, FAQ, https://www.transportation.institute.ufl.edu/i-
street-living-lab/faq/ (last visited Feb. 2, 2022).
2
Id. See video at 8.08.
3
Id.
4
Id.
5
UFTI, Projects, https://www.transportation.institute.ufl.edu/i-street-living-lab/projects/ (last visited Feb. 2, 2022).
6
UFTI, FAQ, When will the testing begin and end?, FAQ - University of Florida Transportation Institute (ufl.edu) (last
visited Feb 2, 2022).
7
FDOT, UF I-Street, https://www.fdot.gov/traffic/its/projects-deploy/cv/maplocations/uf-testbed.shtm (last visited Feb. 2,
2022). BILL: SB 1160 Page 3
The FDOT has allocated funding for projects per fiscal year from 2021 until 2025. Each year, the
FDOT funds multiple projects based on the projects' merits and safety and mobility improvement
potential. The number of awards vary depending on the project type and scope.
8
III. Effect of Proposed Changes:
SB 1160 creates s. 334.066, F.S., to codify the Implementing Solutions from Transportation
Research and Evaluating Emerging Technologies Living Lab (I-STREET) within the University
of Florida (UF) and requires it, at a minimum, to:
Conduct and facilitate research on issues related to innovative transportation mobility and
safety technology development and deployment in this state and serve as an information
exchange and depository for the most current information pertaining to transportation
research, education, workforce development, and related issues.
Be a continuing resource for the Legislature, the Florida Senate, the Florida Department of
Transportation, local governments, the nation’s metropolitan regions, and the private sector
in the area of transportation and related research.
Promote intercampus transportation and related research activities among Florida universities
to enhance the ability of these universities to attract federal and private sector funding for
transportation and related research.
Provide by July 1, 2023, and annually thereafter, to the Governor, the President of the Senate,
and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a comprehensive report that outlines its
clearly defined goals and its efforts and progress on reaching those goals.
The bill also creates an advisory board to periodically review and advise I-STREET concerning
its research program. The board consists of nine members in transportation-related areas, as
follows:
Two members, one each appointed by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the
House of Representatives.
Two members, who are the Secretaries of Transportation and of Economic Opportunity, or
their designees.
One member from the Florida Transportation Commission.
Four members nominated by UF’s College of Engineering and approved by UF’s president,
which nominees may include representatives of UF, other academic and research institutions,
or private entities.
Codifying I-STREET into law may help the testbed meet its mission, bring prominence to the
state in the areas of transportation innovation and safety, and improve transportation for Florida
residents and guests.
The bill takes effect on July 1, 2022.
8
Id. BILL: SB 1160 Page 4
IV. Constitutional Issues:
A. Municipality/County Mandates Restrictions:
None.
B. Public Records/Open Meetings Issues:
None.
C. Trust Funds Restrictions:
None.
D. State Tax or Fee Increases:
None.
E. Other Constitutional Issues:
None.
V. Fiscal Impact Statement:
A. Tax/Fee Issues:
None.
B. Private Sector Impact:
To the extent that a private sector entity participates in the Implementing Solutions from
Transportation Research and Evaluating Emerging Technologies Living Lab (I-STREET)
activities, that entity may incur costs in an indeterminate amount. The bill does not
provide funding for any costs associated with participation.
Transportation-related research with a focus on emerging technologies would be expected
to facilitate planning, development, and implementation of transportation systems and
facilities.
C. Government Sector Impact:
The costs associated with the Implementing Solutions from Transportation Research and
Evaluating Emerging Technologies Living Lab (I-STREET) duties is unknown but is
expected to be absorbed within the existing resources of the University of Florida, the
Florida Department of Transportation, and other potential government sector participants.
The bill does not provide funding for any costs associated with participation.
BILL: SB 1160 Page 5
Transportation-related research with a focus on emerging technologies would be expected
to facilitate planning, development, and implementation of transportation systems and
facilities.
VI. Technical Deficiencies:
None.
VII. Related Issues:
None.
VIII. Statutes Affected:
This bill creates section 334.066 of the Florida Statutes.
IX. Additional Information:
A. Committee Substitute – Statement of Changes:
(Summarizing differences between the Committee Substitute and the prior version of the bill.)
None.
B. Amendments:
None.
This Senate Bill Analysis does not reflect the intent or official position of the bill’s introducer or the Florida Senate.