I view a route to and from the beach as the start of something bigger. When the city backed off construction of the Wave streetcar, all involved acknowledged that another public transit solution would need to be found considering the size of our city and growing traffic volume.
A second phase of an underground network could extend to the airport, seaport and convention center. Other future lines could be along SE 17th Street and Sunrise Boulevard or out west to the Nova Southeastern University campus, the Hard Rock casino and the Sawgrass Mills mall. We would need to build consensus with other governments to undertake those possibilities.
And don’t think we forgot about our other initiatives, as we continue to pursue transit solutions in response to our ever-changing downtown. That is why, for example, the one-way pairing concept along Andrews and Third Avenue is vital to creating a sustainable urban center, where dedicated lanes for rapid transit can ameliorate local traffic conditions.
Work on addressing flooding is advancing as we continue to retrofit streets and swales to accommodate stormwater overflows. And as many of you may have already seen, our waterway cleanup project is well underway. Work has commenced on the Himmarshee Canal with the goal to returning that waterway back to where fish and other marine life can flourish.
Nor are these the only solutions to traffic congestion we are pursuing. We are building a 17th Street bypass, improving traffic signalization on key corridors, and working with the state to ease congestion on Sunrise Boulevard.
We also are making headway on the creation of commuter rail service across South Florida.
Brightline is expected to restart service between Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach this fall. That has breathed new life into the idea of a more localized service called the Coastal Link that would have some two dozen stations in the tri-county area.
The Coastal Link would provide great interconnectivity among South Florida communities. With the numerous stations and a frequent schedule of trains, it offers the possibility that residents can go between home, work, shopping and entertainment without driving.
A major challenge to the Coastal Link, though, is how the trains would cross the New River.
The current low-level drawbridge is simply insufficient for such an increased volume of trains. It would particularly prove harmful to our important marine industry as many boatyards are located west of the train bridge.
So, FDOT has been studying whether to build a high-rise bridge or dig a tunnel.
The bridge would be between five and eight stories high and split our downtown. It would have a seriously detrimental effect on the current transformation of downtown into a vibrant urban center of offices, residences, commerce and entertainment. Traffic tie-ups at Davie, Broward and Sunrise boulevards would be a nightmare.
This is why I initially began talking with executives at The Boring Co. I believe a tunnel is a much better solution for our city and its long-term future. I encourage everyone – from neighborhood leaders to business executives – to join me in telling FDOT that we prefer a tunnel.
A tunnel protects our historic district, resolves congestion on the east-west corridors and fits better with the vision we have pursued for so long of downtown. It also avoids the social divide a bridge creates with the city’s traditional black community surrounding Sistrunk Boulevard.
I will keep everyone posted on FDOT’s upcoming public comment plans.
