Federal and state transportation officials have finalized a crucial agreement that will allow work to begin on the Wave Streetcar transit project in downtown Fort Lauderdale.
This finalized full-funding agreement between federal, state and local partners allows the project to begin soliciting bids and proceed with actual construction of the transit line.
The $195 million project is projected to support thousands of construction, development and longer-term jobs resulting from increased economic productivity. It will also include numerous water, stormwater, traffic and pedestrian upgrades, and is planned in a way that allows for future extension into other parts of the community.
The strong, unified partnership that brought this deal about – led at the federal level by Reps. Ted Deutch (FL-22), Lois Frankel (FL-21), Alcee L. Hastings (FL-20), Debbie Wasserman Schultz(FL-23) and Frederica Wilson (FL-24) – has also been fueled by local visionaries at Broward County government, The South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA), the State of Florida (FDOT), the City of Fort Lauderdale, the Downtown Development Authority, and the Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization.
“This long-awaited news is an exciting and historic step for South Florida. The Wave is a critical, forward-thinking transit project that will create jobs and spur wider economic development in and around a downtown core, where growth is ideal,” said Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz. “The Wave continues our push to make Broward County a more livable community, and one that will not rely solely on single-car travel in downtown Fort Lauderdale. This community’s amazingly hard work, and the strong Congressional team behind it in Washington is about to make this progressive people-moving project a reality.”
“The Wave Streetcar is going to be of great benefit to Fort Lauderdale. As our region continues to grow, the Wave will play a significant role in connecting people to other parts of the city, from SE 17th Street to Sistrunk Boulevard,” said Congressman Hastings. “I will work with Fort Lauderdale to ensure that, as the project develops, it is extended to other communities so that its benefits may be fully realized by everyone. I congratulate my friends and colleagues in the Florida delegation for this great step forward, and thank Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz for leading the charge in Congress.”
“This is a significant step forward in bringing modern transit to our world-class city,” said Congressman Deutch. “Residents, local businesses, and visitors will all benefit greatly from this important streetcar system in downtown Fort Lauderdale. With thousands of new jobs created and an estimated $473 million in economic output to the region, The Wave will lead to an economic boon for the greater Fort Lauderdale area. I applaud the collaborative work by local, state, and federal officials to get this project from a dream to a reality.”
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