Interview: Gregory Stuart, Executive

Port Everglades has been ranked as the third-busiest cruise homeport in the world.

Economic Impact Study, the airport supports 12,708 jobs with a payroll of around $5.7 million going toward local residents and the economy at large.

Brightline Another major success for Fort Lauderdale transportation infrastructure has been the growth of the Brightline, the inter-city rail network that connects Miami and West Palm Beach. While the pandemic put a temporary stop to service, the ridership numbers on the whole remain very promising: by 2024, it is estimated that 9.9 million passengers a year will be generating $792 million in annual revenue.

Privately owned by Florida East Coast Railways (which recently took full control after falling out with Virgin Trains USA), the project has developed rapidly. A new extension to Orlando International Airport is expected to be completed by the end of 2022, and the next phase of the project is looking to connect to Tampa Bay.

Infrastructure President Biden’s bold ambitions regarding infrastructure have been laid bare since his early days in office when he announced his $2.25 trillion plan that would revitalize this long-neglected part of the American economy. Many say that this is a blueprint that is fated to be diluted as it navigates the trials and tribulations of actually getting passed. Biden’s biggest hurdle is straightforward politics: a recalcitrant Republican opposition that has written off the president’s proposals as wasteful spending. The national opposition happens to have one of its biggest champions in Florida Gov. ( ) Gregory Stuart

Executive Director Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization

What impact do you see the Coastal Link Commuter rail having in Fort Lauderdale?

We’ve been working on that project for close to 30 years. The Brightline has three stops, potentially five stops in Southeast Florida and now we are talking about Downtown Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale International Airport, Hollywood, Dania Beach, Hallandale Beach, then Aventura, Wynnwood and all the way to Downtown Miami. That whole expanse provides access not just to jobs, but to healthcare, education and attainable housing. The further up the coast you go, the less expensive housing gets until you get to Palm Beach.

That connectivity between all these east coast cities is an absolutely huge thing. Once we get over the New River, whether it’s via a tunnel or a bridge, the service goes up to Pompano, Deerfield Beach then on to Boca Raton. You are talking about so many di erent markets at that point. I love the Brightline, but because of the price of the ticket, it’s hard to do that every day. This is true for the vast majority of folks down here. What does new commuter service mean to I-95 and the impact on the driving public? Fewer cars on the highway. I think that’s another very huge thing. It’s a real game-changer for the region.

What other projects is the Broward MPO working on?

Last year, we spoke about the impact of the sales tax. And while the sales tax revenues are down, that’s a short-term blip in the overall economy. I see my partners at Broward County government and their transit department, and I am confident that they’re going to come up with several very large-scale, east-west projects that will end up tying into both Tri Rail, Coastal Link and Brightline. I think it may take those east-west projects five to seven years, but you are going to see a whole bunch of announcements coming out for di erent types of transportation services. So far this year, using the surtax, the Broward County transit department has increased the size of its fleet of buses, so the existing services are probably going to see significant upgrades in on-time arrivals and increased frequency.