Broward cuts back its plans for Fort Lauderdale streetcar project

Broward won't pay for bigger Wave streetcar storage facility at this time but could add to the building later.

Broward commissioners haven't derailed Fort Lauderdale's planned streetcars, but the Wave's critics got the upper hand Tuesday to defeat an expanded vehicle storage facility originally proposed by the county.

The larger storage facility isn't needed for the Wave's initial 2.8-mile downtown route but would be needed for any future expansions to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Port Everglades, officials said. The facility could still be expanded in the future, but county officials said it would be cheaper to build the larger facility from the start.


Commissioner Dale Holness said he understood the goal but could not support the expansion given his opposition to the overall project.

"It pains me to not support what I think is a prudent action," Holness says.

The commission's decision comes at a critical time that could determine if the Wave system is ever built.

The Wave streetcar project won't go forward unless new design and construction costs, which came in at least $74 million over budget during the first round of bids in October, are significantly reduced when new bids are opened Thursday.

There's also the potential for Fort Lauderdale to throw the project into doubt. City voters elected a new commission in March and a majority now say they will vote to stop the project before it can ever get going.

"The cost of this project has gone up and gone up and gone up and gone up," Fort Lauderdale activist Mary Fertig said, urging commissioners to stop the Wave. "You're building a system that is not really necessary, it is not flexible and it will not be used."

Here's a look at six questions surrounding the streetcars, which currently aren't projected to begin service before 2021:

What happens next?

The new bids are due Thursday. If the price doesn't exceed $142.5 million, the selection committee will pick a winning bid May 3. Fort Lauderdale commissioners will hold a Wave workshop on Monday, where they will go over the options the city has for backing out of the deal. Commissioners could vote to end the city's participation at their May 1 meeting.

How much will it cost to build the Wave?

There is a $114 million budget for design and construction, but officials say a price as high as $142.5 million could be acceptable. The four bids rejected in October ranged from $188.7 million to $218 million.

Officials have made changes to bring the project back within budget. Those include reducing the size of the vehicle storage facility and reducing the work needed to be done on the Southeast Third Avenue bridge that the streetcars will use to cross the New River.

What happens if Fort Lauderdale tries to back out of the Wave deal?

The recent Wave agreements allow the state, county or city to end the project if the new bids exceed $142.5 million. However, if the costs stay within the approved parameters, Fort Lauderdale could be breaking its part of the agreement, which could lead to a lawsuit. That could create more delays but might not be enough to kill the project.


Why did Broward want to build a bigger facility than needed for the Wave streetcars?

The commission was being asked to decide if it was willing to pay up to $15 million more for a larger-than-planned storage facility for the light-rail streetcars — a new cost that would be divided among the city, county and the city's Downtown Development Authority.

The plans include a storage facility large enough to accommodate the five streetcars being purchased for the Wave line, which would run near or along Andrews Avenue from Northeast Sixth Street to Southwest Seventeenth Street.

The larger facility would have been able to store 12 vehicles instead of five.

The commission voted 5-3 against moving forward with the expanded facility. Mayor Beam Furr and Commissioners Steve Geller and Tim Ryan wanted to keep the option open for the expanded facility, but Commissioners Nan Rich, Michael Udine, Mark Bogen, Chip LaMarca and Dale Holness said no. Commissioner Barbara Sharief was sick and did not attend the meeting.

The county's transit plan also anticipates expanding light rail in the future down Broward Boulevard and along State Road 7 and University Drive, although officials said those would require a separate storage facility.

Why are critics opposing the Wave?

A streetcar system was viewed as an economic engine to increase downtown development when first proposed more than a decade ago. But as the Wave moves closer to reality, opposition has increased from people who say streetcars aren't an efficient way to move people around. They don't like the overhead electrical wires that are needed to power the trains for most of the route. They don't see any benefit to streetcars that will be sharing a traffic lane with cars, buses and other vehicles, which means they won't get around any faster than those other vehicles during rush hour.

Is there a problem with killing the Wave?

Supporters say reneging on the Wave, which has received $82.7 million in federal grants, would make it harder to secure funding for future transportation projects.

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