Transportation Experts from 22 Countries Convene in Denver for the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association’s 84th Annual Meeting and Exhibition

Wednesday, September 14, 2016
CONTACT: Bill Cramer, Communications Director
202-659-4620 x26 | 202-210-2962 (mobile)

DENVER – More than 700 global transportation leaders gathered for the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association's (IBTTA) 84th Annual Meeting and Exhibition in Denver, Colorado, September 11-14, 2016. The meeting's host was IBTTA member, E-470 Public Highway Authority. The E-470, a highway that runs along the eastern perimeter of the Denver metropolitan area, is a non-stop, all-electronic toll road.

"Both the annual meeting and the city of Denver are great examples of the three-part theme I’ve brought to IBTTA during the year I've served as IBTTA President: People, Partnerships and Progress," said Earl J. "Buddy" Croft III, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority, and IBTTA President.  "Each professional development session at the meeting fell under one of the three themes."

The 84th Annual Meeting workshops included:

• The People sessions included putting big data to work, exploring content marketing and new media in the digital age, and ensuring privacy, security and data protection.
• The Partnerships workshops focused on funding and financing, telling Colorado's tolling story of collaboration and partnership, and partnering to improve customer service.
• The Progress learning opportunities included identifying what's next after the FAST Act, reviewing interoperability progress across the globe, and driving sustainability through technology.

On September 13, IBTTA released its new report: Toll Technology Transforms Mobility for Customers. The data shows the decrease in the use of cash and the increase of electronic tolling in the past five years.

Attendees also heard from Colorado's Lt. Gov. Donna Lynne and keynote speaker, Pete McBride from Nat Geo Live, a professional film maker and photographer. The meeting also included two technical tours of the E-470 Public Highway Authority and Colorado DOT, Plenary Roads Denver & Northwest Parkway.

On September 14, IBTTA officers were elected by its membership. The new officers, who will begin their terms on January 1, 2017, include:

• President, Emanuela Stocchi, Director of International Affairs, Associazione Italiana Società Concessionarie Autostrade e Trafori (AISCAT), Rome, Italy
• First Vice President, Tim Stewart, Executive Director, E-470 Public Highway Authority, Aurora, CO
• Second Vice President, Christopher Tomlinson, Executive Director, State Road and Tollway Authority and Georgia Regional Transportation Authority, Atlanta, GA
• International Vice President, Klaus Schierhackl, CEO, ASFINAG, Vienna, Austria
• Immediate Past President, Earl J. 'Buddy' Croft, III, Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority, Jamestown, Rhode Island

Additionally, the 2016 IBTTA Toll Excellence Awards were presented during the conference on Monday, September 12, 2016. One recipient, the North Carolina Turnpike Authority, was honored with the prestigious President’s Award for Excellence during the awards ceremony. Additional recipients included:

• Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise for Administration and Finance, Ocoee, FL;
• NC Turnpike Authority for Customer Service and Marketing Outreach, Raleigh, NC;
• The Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agencies for Social Responsibility, Orange County, CA;
• Harris County Toll Road Authority for Technology, Houston, TX;
• Central Florida Expressway Authority, Orlando for Toll Operations, Engineering and Maintenance, Orlando, FL;
• CDM Smith for Private Sector Innovation, Boston, MA.

"These agencies represent the leading edge of excellence, innovation and achievement in the tolling industry," said Patrick D. Jones, Executive Director and CEO, IBTTA, Washington, D.C. "As toll facilities around the world continue to expand and grow ever more sophisticated, we expect this awards program to reveal even more innovation in the future."

For more information about each Toll Excellence Award recipient click here or go to www.ibtta.org/toll-excellence-awards. For more information about IBTTA, please visit www.ibtta.org or contact Bill Cramer by email or at 202-202-659-4620 x26 or 202-210-2962 (mobile).

#   #   #

About IBTTA
The International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA) is the worldwide association for the owners and operators of toll facilities and the businesses that serve them. Founded in 1932, IBTTA has members in more than 20 countries on six continents. Through advocacy, thought leadership and education, members are implementing state-of-the-art, innovative user-based transportation financing solutions to address the critical infrastructure challenges of the 21st Century. For more information, visit www.ibtta.org or join us on Twitter @IBTTA or #TollRoads.