Fort Lauderdale Wave Streetcar Gets Green Light

WASHINGTON – Earlier today, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood informed U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-20) that an $18 million transportation TIGER grant she has championed for seven years, the Fort Lauderdale Wave Streetcar Project, would be funded.

The money will go toward the first phase of the project that will eventually have streetcars running along a 2.7-mile corridor in downtown Fort Lauderdale.

“This is wonderful news for South Florida. The Wave is a critical project because it will create jobs while also increasing transit ridership and spurring economic development. It continues the transformation of Broward County into a “livable community” – one which promotes transit-oriented development by enabling our residents to use a street car in place of single passenger vehicles to travel through the downtown Fort Lauderdale area.

“After years of hard work and a team effort with business leaders as well as state and local government, we are grateful to Secretary LaHood and the Obama Administration for recognizing the importance of this investment in South Florida. I was pleased to be able to welcome Federal Transit Administrator Peter Rogoff for a roundtable discussion with all of the community partners and a tour of the proposed site for the Wave streetcar project earlier this year. Our community effort paid off. This announcement is another example of the Obama Administration’s commitment to an economy built to last, by creating jobs through investments in transportation and infrastructure,” said Rep. Wasserman Schultz.

“I am very pleased that the Department of Transportation has awarded an $18 million TIGER Grant to the Wave Streetcar project for downtown Fort Lauderdale. This is much-deserved funding for a worthy project that will greatly benefit the Broward community and South Florida as a whole,” said Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL). “Not only will this investment bring new, improved, and more efficient transportation to the region, but it will also create and support jobs. Additionally, the Wave promotes a livable community by integrating land use, transportation, economic development, and environmental sustainability. This grant award represents a significant step forward in making the Wave a reality, and I would like to take this opportunity to recognize all the project’s local and state partners for their ongoing leadership and commitment to this very important project.”

“The Wave Streetcar is a key investment in the future of the City of Fort Lauderdale,” said Fort Lauderdale Mayor John P. “Jack” Seiler. “It will provide enhanced mobility and connectivity throughout our downtown, stimulate economic development, and promote long-term sustainability by offering a quick, convenient and environmentally-friendly public transportation alternative. We’d like to thank our members of Congress, our Senators and all of the agencies, organizations and governmental entities that have worked cooperatively to secure the funding to make this project a reality.”

The Wave has community partnerships with Broward County, The South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA), the State of Florida (FDOT), City of Fort Lauderdale, Downtown Development Authority, and the Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization.