DOT 84-14 Florida

MIAMI – U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx today announced that the Florida Department of Transportation has been awarded a $20 million TIGER grant that will go toward replacing the Tamiami Trail (US-41) with an elevated 2.6-mile bridge that will help restore natural storm water flows into the Everglades National Park (ENP) and Northeast Shark River, while preserving a critical transportation link between Southwest Florida and Miami. The U.S. Department of Transportation is providing approximately $600 million for 72 transportation projects in 46 states and the District of Columbia from its TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) 2014 program.  U.S. Deputy Secretary of Transportation Victor Mendez traveled to Miami for the local announcement.

“As uncertainty about the future of long-term federal funding continues, this round of TIGER will be a shot in the arm for these innovative, job-creating and quality of life-enhancing projects,” said Secretary Foxx.  “This is a critical TIGER investment to ensure that the Everglades ecosystem is preserved for the enjoyment of generations to come while modernizing a bridge that is long overdue.  For every project we select, however, we must turn dozens more away – projects that could be getting done if Congress passed the GROW AMERICA Act, which would double the funding available for TIGER and growing the number of projects we could support.”

The TIGER grant will help replace part of the Tamiami Trail with a new two-and-a-half mile elevated bridge – effectively fixing a problem that’s existed since the Trail was built more than 85 years ago. The increased elevation of the bridge will allow natural water flow through the Everglades while also allowing an important hurricane evacuation route to function in high-water conditions.  This new bridge will help restore the environmental sustainability of the Everglades ecosystem, while enhancing safety and South Florida’s economic competiveness.

“The bridge will strengthen a key transportation link between Miami and Southwest Florida, and keep a critical hurricane evacuation route from flooding,” said Deputy Secretary Mendez.  “And it meets a commitment made by President Obama and the State of Florida to protect and sustain the Everglades by restoring the area’s natural water flow.”….http://www.dot.gov/briefing-room/us-transportation-secretary-foxx-announces-20-million-tiger-grant-florida’s-tamiami