FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Fort Lauderdale city commissioners voted 3-2 on Tuesday night to accept a new bridge as the replacement for the existing downtown New River drawbridge used by Florida East Coast Railway and Brightline if a tunnel is too expensive, despite the ongoing concerns of the city’s mayor that the tunnel is needed to protect downtown’s interests.
Mayor Dean Trantalis has led the fight against a proposal that could see a 2.5-mile-long bridge built — one with enough vertical clearance to eliminate the need for bridge openings for marine traffic — saying it would divide the community and harm economic development. He prefers a proposal for a 3.5-mile long tunnel under the river [see “Fort Lauderdale officials set to meet …,” Trains News Wire, Dec. 18, 2023].
But the tunnel is estimated to cost roughly six times as much — $3 billion, compared to $500 million for the bridge — and the decision ultimately rests in the hands of Broward County, which has indicated the bridge is the preferred option. The county is expected to make its final decision in early 2024.
According to a paywalled article in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Trantalis told those who voted for the proposal, “I hope you three did not just write the epitaph for downtown.”
OK. So the “start” point for this project is December 2023. Any guesses as to when the first operating train will cross this bridge? 5 years? 7? 10? Will the approach grades be on embankments or an actual bridge structure with daylight under the girders? Stay tuned.
Betcha a tunnel would be twice as long to build or more. And would be substantially below the ocean high tide level. Gurgle.
Someone needs to tell Chicago residents that the El divides their downtown and will destroy economic development. Except is hasn’t. This one won’t either.
PRR did something like that between Manhattan Transfer and Jersey City.
The double-track passenger bridge was higher with steeper grades and normally closed to river traffic. The adjacent double-track freight bridge was lower with lower grades and normally open to river traffic, closing when a train was imminent. The passenger bridge opened only when river traffic would not clear the closed bridge.
How long will approaches need to be for Brightline only trains on bridge?
Sorry that the wormhole proposal was not given more serious consideration 😀
Mayor must be our Mayors Brother, Our Mayor thinks FEC is just going to build bridges with our Mayors westward expansion. Florida politicians are a strange lot compared to the Midwest.
You want to see politicians who are a REAL strange lot? Spend time here in California…