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Mayor’s Message

W
e 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
Dean Trantalis unimpeded. Those bridges ranged up to eight stories high and extended for almost
MAYOR two miles.
City of Fort Lauderdale Unfortunately, the Broward County Commission has announced that it plans to
dtrantalis@fortlauderdale.gov
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’s 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
Office Contact permanently divide parts of the city from each other. All of these factors have a value
Scott Wyman beyond a strict price tag comparison between a tunnel and bridge.
Chief of Staff to the Mayor
swyman@fortlauderdale.gov Even the U.S. Department of Transportation understands the seriousness of the matter
954.828.5314 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 – and cannot – come at the expense of Fort
Lauderdale and its residents and businesses.

Before 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’ve 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’s 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 – just like FDOT did of its
earlier proposals.

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