The heated debate between Fort Lauderdale's Mayor Dean Trantalis and Broward County Commissioners over the future of the New River Crossing is far from settled. Mayor Trantalis is steadfast in his opposition to a bridge, which he deems a threat to the city's real estate and marine industries, favoring instead a costly tunnel alternative. In a bombastic email to constituents, Trantalis stated, "We will not be bullied into accepting a bridge," a sentiment reported by the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
The tunnel, estimated at $3 billion, is pitted against a proposed $500 million bridge by county commissioners who believe the pricier option may not be sustainable. "The tunnel may be the best thing since sliced bread, but if we can’t afford to build or maintain it, it doesn’t matter," said Broward County Commissioner Steve Geller in an interview. The commission seeks federal funding for the bridge, yet such funds could be at risk should Fort Lauderdale reject the bridge proposal.
Broward's expansion of commuter rail, a cornerstone of the Premium Mobility Plan, necessitates a new crossing to handle the increased train traffic from Brightline on tracks currently served by an outdated drawbridge. Fort Lauderdale's mayor, however, considers a tunnel the only palatable solution for a downtown that he says is thriving. "What benefit does this commuter rail provide to the City of Fort Lauderdale in an already flourishing environment? Do we want to repress it or destroy it by putting a bridge through the middle of it with trains rumbling 30 to 60 times a day by your window?" Trantalis argued to NBC Miami.
A joint study financed by both the city and the county unveiled four options: two types of bascule bridges, one towering at 55 feet and the other at a modest 21 feet; an 80-foot fixed bridge; and the contested tunnel. With the future of downtown Fort Lauderdale in the balance, Mayor Trantalis is gearing up for a fight, refusing to back down from his stance that a bridge could irrevocably alter the cityscape and compromise investments flowing into the city. "I have a city to protect," he told the Sun Sentinel, underscoring the stakes of this infrastructural showdown.
