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Tamiami Trail Construction Project Gets Permitting"?uWill Bring More Water to Everglades04-14-15 | News

Tamiami Trail Construction Project Gets Permitting"?uWill Bring More Water to Everglades

Florida's Tamiami Trail, the 260-mile southern route of U.S. Highway 41, crosses the Everglades (State Route 90) on its journey to Miami. The trail, which opened in 1928, impedes the Everglades "river of grass." The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has issued a permit to construct 2.6 miles of bridges and raised roads along the trail to improve the flow of water.

On March 17, 2015, Florida Gov. Rick Scott announced the Florida Department of Environmental Protection has issued a permit to the Department of Interior's National Park Service, Everglades National Park, for the construction of 2.6 miles of bridges and raised roads along the Tamiami Trail (U.S. 41) in Miami-Dade County. The Tamiami Trail inhibits water flowing south into Everglades National Park. By constructing bridges, water will be able to flow south from Lake Okeechobee to the park. Fresh water flowing into the park is assisted by pumps, floodgates and retention ponds.

The Everglades is the largest subtropical wilderness in the U.S.

Governor Scott has committed up to $30 million per year over three years for this project. "On top of completing critical projects, we have proposed a dedicated source of revenue that will provide more than $5 billion for Everglades restoration over the next 20 years," said Gov. Scott.

"This is a huge step forward in our efforts to restore the Everglades," said Jon Steverson, secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. "Moving water south through the Everglades is critical for wildlife, and keeping it out of the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie Estuaries is vital to protecting these important water bodies."

The Department of Environmental Protection is working with the South Florida Water Management District and local partners to take aggressive action on both coasts to improve the quantity, quality, timing and distribution of water in Florida.