FORT LAUDERDALE – U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx recently announced that President Obama’s Fiscal Year 2015 Budget includes a recommendation to provide approximately $50 million for Fort Lauderdale’s Wave Streetcar project. The project is being managed by the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA), in partnership with the City of Fort Lauderdale, the Downtown Development Authority of Fort Lauderdale (DDA), Broward County, Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization (Broward MPO), and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). The proposed funding, provided through the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grant program, is in addition to an $18 million TIGER grant announced in June 2012, and will provide the remaining federal funds needed to design and construct the 2.7-mile streetcar project in downtown Fort Lauderdale.
“The Wave Streetcar is a vital part of Fort Lauderdale’s Citywide Vision and Strategic Plan and it aligns with our Complete Streets policy, which recently ranked #1 in Florida and #3 in the nation,” said Fort Lauderdale Mayor John P. “Jack” Seiler. “The City is extremely grateful to be recommended for the Small Starts grant and the opportunity presented to spur economic growth through a viable, sustainable transportation option such as The Wave. The Wave will increase mobility for everyone, and a federal investment of this magnitude recognizes the community’s support and desire for transportation choices that improve our quality of life. We would like to thank The WaveStreetcar Partnership team for their tireless efforts in securing a total of $68 million in federal funding for this project.”
The Wave project was approved by the County Commission in March 2013 as part of then-Mayor Kristin Jacobs’ “Year of the Neighbor.” A longtime advocate for progressive public transportation, Commissioner Jacobs called The Wave “a gigantic step in public transportation for Broward County. When it comes to rail, it’s not only ridership that is important, but also the long-term economic development that occurs along the corridor.”
“We welcome this federal investment and believe that The Wave transportation system will result in increased economic development, provide commuters with additional transportation choices, and eventually expand to include broader areas of Broward County,” said Broward Mayor and District 8 Commissioner Barbara Sharief.
The Wave Streetcar project was initiated in 2002 to facilitate long-term economic growth and development, improve mobility, stimulate community connectivity, enhance local transit service, and present permanent, environmentally friendly, sustainable transportation alternatives that reduce carbon emissions, save energy, and reduce roadway congestion.
For more information about The Wave Streetcar, please visit www.wavestreetcar.com or call (954) 463-6574.
