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Thomas Brown Manuel, was a Florida community leader, politician, and state official, often referred to as the "Father of the Florida's Turnpike"[ by whom? ] for his efforts to bring about the first major highway in Florida, and for his contributions generally to economic development in the state. [1]
He was born November 3, 1898, near Freetown, Jackson County, Indiana, the second child of Sarah Jane and Asbury Hill Manuel. His paternal grandfather, Dr. Grafton Manuel, was the attending physician at his birth. Thomas had two sisters Estella (1893–94) and Mary Catherine (1903-1935) as well as four brothers Virgil (1886-1957), Herschel (1887-1976 ), William (1891-1970) and Paul (1895-1925).[ citation needed ]
Seeking adventure and angered by Pancho Villa's raid on a New Mexico town, at 17,[ citation needed ] he enlisted in the army, and saw action in the Mexican Expedition of 1916, remaining in the army afterward, he eventually saw action in France during World War I. [2]
Following his discharge from the army, Manuel attended the University of Illinois, earning a degree in animal husbandry, and setting out start a farm in Palm Beach County, Florida, near modern-day Delray Beach. He would ultimately settle further south, in Fort Lauderdale, where he and his wife Margaret would start a family. [2] Daughter Ann was born in 1926. A second child died as an infant. Son and namesake Thomas Brown Manuel, Junior, was born in 1928.[ citation needed ]
To house their growing family, the Manuels bought a house at 543 Victoria Park Road from William Reed, a prominent South Florida pioneer and politician. Reed and Manuel became close friends, with Reed serving as mentor to Manuel. Reed encouraged Manuel's increasing involvement in the civic affairs of Fort Lauderdale.[ citation needed ] Manuel served a two-years term as mayor beginning in 1937. [2]
After serving as a mayor, he re-entered the military and obtained a commission in 1940. He served with the 77th Infantry Division in the Pacific, seeing combat at Guam, Leyte Gulf, and Iwo Jima. In 1945, Manuel, who had been promoted to full colonel and would lead troops as they spent 45 consecutive days aboard ship under kamikaze attacks before participating in an amphibious landing on Okinawa. [2]
Finally retiring from the army in 1946, Manuel returned to Fort Lauderdale, and resumed his involvement in public affairs, joining and serving as an officer in local Rotary and Kiwanis organizations, as well as supporting various political causes. [2] He began a "second career" as a banking executive, eventually helping found and serving as a director at five separate banks, including Barnett Bank of Port Everglades, later Barnett Bank of Broward County. [2] Barnett would, in time, become part of NationsBank, which ultimately became Bank of America, the largest bank in the world.
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In 1952, seeking to end rural northern Florida's long dominance of state political affairs, Manuel and other like-minded leaders from the southern part of the state backed Dan McCarty, a young grovesman, fellow World War II veteran, and former speaker of the state house of representatives for governor. McCarty, ran on a platform of reform and economic progress, and was elected easily, but was felled by a massive heart attack only a few months into his term. Dismayed by McCarty's successor, Acting Governor Charley Johns, in the 1954 special election, Manuel supported LeRoy Collins.
In the early 1950s Manuel had met another south Florida businessman, Charles "Charlie" Costar, who had convinced him of the need for a new road from the state line to south Florida, one that by-passed many of the sleepy beach towns that dot Florida's east coast. Largely due to Costar's lobbying efforts, the state legislature had passed the Florida Turnpike Act in 1953, and then-Governor McCarty signed it into law.
During the interregnum of Charley John's acting governorship, the project largely languished. During the 1955 legislative session (the first during newly elected Governor LeRoy Collins' administration) there was a concerted effort to repeal the Turnpike Act and abolish the entire project, led by North Florida legislators known as the Pork Chop Gang. Having been appointed chairman of the Florida Turnpike Authority (the program's governing agency) in January 1955 by Governor Collins in one of his first official acts, Manuel almost single-handedly turned the situation around. By the end of the 1955 legislative session the bill to kill the Turnpike had been defeated 36–4, the original law had actually been amended to extend the planned route of the new road by another 110 miles from Fort Pierce to Miami, and a $70 million bond issue had been authorized to finance the first stage of construction.
Colonel Manuel served as chairman of the Turnpike Authority from 1955 to 1961. [2] During his tenure, the first phase of construction began on July 4, 1955. By late 1956, owing to the Federal government's announced plans for a comprehensive interstate network of highways which would become the Interstate Highway System, and which was to include a route down Florida's east coast, designated I-95, which largely duplicated the Turnpike's originally-contemplated "Coastal Route" from Jacksonville to Fort Pierce, all work on the Turnpike stopped, and plans for further construction were shelved.
Construction had begun at what was expected to be the southern terminus of what was officially known as the Sunshine State Parkway, rather than near the (northern) state line, meaning the only portion to be completed before the hiatus was the 110 mile stretch between Fort Pierce and Miami - the extension Manuel had proposed and won approval for during the 1955 legislative session. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was held January 25, 1957. [2] [ failed verification ]
Throughout the greater part of his service on the Turnpike Authority, Chairman Manuel was forced to contend with opposition from diverse segments of the political world, including those who felt it was a waste of tax dollars, rural interests unenthusiastic about devoting resources to a project seen as largely benefiting urban areas, tourism-based interests in the coastal towns of the counties between St. Augustine and Fort Lauderdale, railroad lines, and others. Nonetheless, he managed to gather sufficient support to keep the Turnpike alive.
Despite his initial disinclination to go forward with additional construction on the Turnpike, Governor Collins acknowledged the need for an extension of the Sunshine State Parkway that would connect Fort Pierce (and the under-construction I-95) with Orlando (and the proposed I-4 and I-75). The extension was approved in May, 1959.
In 1960, he would receive a letter from Governor Collins praising Colonel Manuel for his leadership of the highway project. [3]
Later, near the end of his service on the Authority, another extension, adding 156 miles and connecting Orlando and Wildwood, would be approved. Days before both he and Manuel would leave office, Governor Collins authorized the sale of an additional $80 million in bonds to finance construction to Wildwood. That section would be dedicated July 24, 1964, and would mark the completion of the "Main Line" portion of the Parkway running from Miami to Wildwood.
During his time as chairman, Colonel Manuel deliberately took an active role in the management of the Turnpike, frequently driving to various destinations, visiting construction sites, and inspecting land parcels under consideration for acquisition, talking to road construction workers and managers and motorists. On one notable occasion, witnessing an accident, he quickly pulled to the side of the road and dove into a canal, dragging the wrecked cars occupants from the murky water in what, sadly, turned out to be futile efforts to save their lives. [2]
Leaving the chairmanship and the Turnpike Authority in 1961, Manuel resumed his banking interests, relocating to Plantation, Florida, a Fort Lauderdale suburb. A plaque memorializing Manuel's service to the State of Florida, and his successes as chairman of the Turnpike Authority marks the approach to the Thomas B. Manuel Bridge, [4] [ failed verification ] which carries the Turnpike over the St. Lucie Canal, near Port Salerno, in east central Martin County. The plaque, near Mile Marker 130, officially recognizes Colonel Manuel as the "Father of the Turnpike".
He retired following his wife's death in 1981, but continued to maintain an active interest in the affairs of the Turnpike, following developments affecting the system closely, often attending hearings and meetings, and frequently speaking publicly on issues pertaining to the Turnpike.
At age 88, while attending a public hearing in Coconut Creek, and speaking against proposed toll increases, Manuel suffered a heart attack, collapsed, and was rushed to a hospital. He died soon thereafter, on August 13, 1987. He is buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Fort Lauderdale with his wife. [2]
Fort Pierce is a city in and the county seat of St. Lucie County, Florida, United States. The city is part of the Treasure Coast region of Atlantic Coast Florida. It is also known as the Sunrise City, sister to San Francisco, California, the Sunset City. The population was 41,590 at the 2010 census. As of 2019, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 46,103.
The Garden State Parkway (GSP) is a controlled-access toll road that stretches the north–south length of eastern New Jersey from the state's southernmost tip near Cape May to the New York state line at Montvale. Its name refers to New Jersey's nickname, the "Garden State". The parkway is designated by the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) as Route 444, although this designation is unsigned. At its north end, the road becomes the Garden State Parkway Connector, a component of the New York State Thruway system that connects to the Thruway mainline in Ramapo. The parkway is the longest highway in the state at approximately 172 miles (277 km), and, according to the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association, was the busiest toll road in the United States in 2006. The highway has a posted speed limit of 65 miles per hour (105 km/h) for most of its length, and is primarily for passenger vehicle use; trucks weighing over 10,000 pounds (4,500 kg) are prohibited north of exit 105.
The Governor Alfred E. Driscoll Bridge, also known as the Driscoll Bridge is a toll bridge on the Garden State Parkway in the U.S. state of New Jersey spanning the Raritan River near its mouth in Raritan Bay. The bridge connects the Middlesex County communities of Woodbridge Township on the north with Sayreville on the south. With a total of 15 travel lanes and 6 shoulder lanes, it is the widest motor vehicle bridge in the world by number of lanes and one of the world's busiest. Only 30 feet east of the Driscoll Bridge are the Vieser and Edison Bridges, which carry U.S. Route 9 southbound and northbound, respectively.
Florida's Turnpike, designated as unsigned State Road 91, is a toll road in the U.S. state of Florida, maintained by Florida's Turnpike Enterprise (FTE). Spanning approximately 309 miles (497 km) along a northwest–southeast axis, the turnpike is in two sections. The SR 91 mainline runs roughly 265 miles (426 km), from its southern terminus at an interchange with Interstate 95 (I-95) in Miami Gardens to an interchange with I-75 in Wildwood at its northern terminus. The Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike continues from the southern end of the mainline for another 48 miles (77 km) to US Highway 1 in Florida City. The slogan for the road is "The Less Stressway". The mainline opened in stages between 1957 and 1964, while the extension was completed in 1974. The turnpike runs through Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach, where it parallels I-95, and through Orlando, where it crosses I-4.
Florida's Turnpike Enterprise (FTE) is a unit of the Florida Department of Transportation that operates toll roads in Florida. The current Executive Director is Nicola Liquori.
Daniel Thomas McCarty was an American politician and elected officeholder. McCarty was elected to the Florida House of Representatives, and served as its speaker, and was later elected the 31st Governor of Florida.
Thomas LeRoy Collins was an American attorney and politician who served as the 33rd Governor of Florida. Collins began his governorship after winning a special election in 1954, was elected to a four-year term in 1956, and served from 1955 to 1961. Prior to winning election as governor, Collins served several terms in the Florida House of Representatives and Senate. He was the first governor from the South to promote ending segregation. Counseling "progress under law", he took a moderate course in favor of incremental improvements during the 1950s and 60s and is remembered as a voice in favor of civil rights.
Cecil Farris Bryant was an American politician serving as the 34th Governor of Florida. He also served on the United States National Security Council as director of the Office of Emergency Planning during the administration of President Lyndon B. Johnson, who also appointed Bryant chair of the U.S. Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations.
The North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) is an organization that maintains and operates toll roads, bridges, and tunnels in the North Texas area. Functioning as a political subdivision of the State of Texas under Chapter 366 of the Transportation Code, the NTTA is empowered to acquire, construct, maintain, repair and operate turnpike projects; to raise capital for construction projects through the issuance of turnpike revenue bonds; and to collect tolls to operate, maintain and pay debt service on those projects.
The New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) is a state agency responsible for maintaining the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway, which are two toll roads in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The agency is headquartered in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey.
Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main Interstate Highway of Florida's Atlantic Coast. It begins at a partial interchange with U.S. Highway 1 (US 1) just south of downtown Miami, and heads north past Daytona Beach, through Jacksonville, and to the Georgia state line at the St. Marys River near Becker. The route also passes through the cities of Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Titusville.
The Driscoll Expressway was a proposed 38-mile-long (61 km) tolled limited-access highway that would have connected the New Jersey Turnpike with the Garden State Parkway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The road was proposed in 1971 to alleviate traffic in the area and was named for former Governor Alfred E. Driscoll, who as chairman of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) would push for construction of the road. By the mid-1970s, mounting opposition from area residents and Governor Brendan Byrne led to the cancellation of the road.
Interstate 75 (I-75) is a part of the Interstate Highway System and runs from the Hialeah–Miami Lakes border, a few miles northwest of Miami, to Sault Ste. Marie in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I-75 begins its national northward journey near Miami, running along the western parts of the Miami metropolitan area before traveling westward across Miami-Naples Alligator Alley, resuming its northward direction in Naples, running along Florida's Gulf Coast, and passing the cities of Fort Myers, Punta Gorda, Venice, and Sarasota. The freeway passes through the Tampa Bay Area before turning inward towards Ocala, Gainesville, and Lake City before leaving the state and entering Georgia. I-75 runs for 471 miles (758 km) in Florida, making it the longest Interstate in the state and also the longest in any state east of the Mississippi River. The Interstate's speed limit is 70 mph (110 km/h) for its entire length in Florida.
Stephen Cornelius O'Connell was an American attorney, appellate judge and university president. O'Connell was a native of Florida, and earned bachelor's and law degrees before becoming a practicing attorney. He later was chosen to be a justice of the Florida Supreme Court from 1955 to 1967, and served as the sixth president of the University of Florida from 1967 to 1973.
There have been plans in Florida for expressways, but some were never constructed due to financial problems, community opposition and environmental issues.
Transportation in Florida includes a variety of options, including Interstate Highways, U.S. Highways, and Florida State Roads; Amtrak and commuter rail services; airports, public transportation, and sea ports, in a number of the state's counties and regions.
The Heartland Parkway is a planned toll road that would run approximately 110–150 miles (180–240 km) along a north–south alignment from Interstate 4 near the Polk-Osceola County line in central Florida to the Fort Myers–Naples area of southwest Florida, through rural portions of Polk, Hardee, Highlands, DeSoto, Glades, Lee, and possibly Collier counties. A 12-mile (19 km) spur would connect the parkway with the Polk Parkway south of Winter Haven With cost estimates ranging from $3-8 billion, support for the construction of the parkway has ebbed and flowed. Former Florida governor Jeb Bush was a proponent of this parkway, but his successor, governor Charlie Crist never expressed interest in its creation.
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