Page 28 - Demo

Dean TrantalisMAYORCity of Fort [email protected] ContactScott WymanChief of Staff to the [email protected]%u2019s MessageWe are at a critical moment in the decision-making process of how this commuter rail service should cross the New River and run through downtown.We are approaching a new round of federal infrastructure funding next spring that can help pay for construction. The city has been working as fast as possible with a team of internationally renowned experts to explore options to tunnel under the river and avoid the monstrosity of a bridge cutting through our community.The Florida Department of Transportation previously studied one tunnel option and three different bridge heights and costed those out. Only the tallest of the bridges suited the marine industry because of its needs for boat traffic to travel largely unimpeded. Those bridges ranged up to eight stories high and extended for almost two miles.Unfortunately, the Broward County Commission has announced that it plans to pursue construction of a bridge at least 40 feet high. As the city, we want a couple additional months so we can complete our ongoing analysis of the best tunnel designs and how much they would cost.This is a monumental decision that will shape the future of downtown for decades to come. It is one that should not be made without all the facts and certainly not without a complete and thorough exploration of all options.The county%u2019s obsession with a bridge approach blinds it from the clear impacts to our city that demand consideration. These include the impact on economic development, the marine industry, vehicular traffic flow and individual neighborhoods.Then, there are quality-of-life aspects like noise and aesthetics. Also, a bridge would permanently divide parts of the city from each other. All of these factors have a value beyond a strict price tag comparison between a tunnel and bridge.Even the U.S. Department of Transportation understands the seriousness of the matter and what is at stake. They awarded Fort Lauderdale a $1 million grant this fall to undertake critical and necessary reviews. The decision before us should not %u2013 and cannot %u2013 come at the expense of Fort Lauderdale and its residents and businesses.%u00a0Before we permanently mar and divide downtown with a bridge, we owe it to future generations to do our utmost to determine the viability of a tunnel.Consider how far we%u2019ve come through the efforts of the city.We have already convinced the Florida Department of Transportation that a tunnel could be built for half as much as they initially believed. When the county continued to recite outdated mantras about financing a river crossing, we discovered new pots of federal assistance created through President Biden%u2019s infrastructure initiative and found willing partners in the U.S. government to assist us.We have brought together for the first time high-level representatives of Brightline, Florida East Coast Railroad Industries and their parent company Fortress to work with our experts on how to build a tunnel at a reasonable price.On the other hand, the county accepted a limited consulting report that was packed with misinformation and based on outdated and incomplete assessments. They need a full-scale review of it before a decision is made %u2013 just like FDOT did of its earlier proposals.%u00a026 LAS OLAS BOULEVARD & ISLES