Q: The tunnel project on U.S. 1 should be thoroughly investigated. I have never seen a project on this scale take so long. Major cities would’ve been working on this 24 hours a day. I understand this is a DOT project; this pretty much explains it all. It’s going on two years and it looks like it’s going to take another two years. They built the Golden Gate Bridge in four years in 1937. — Craig Krentsa, Fort Lauderdale
A: Craig, it does seem like the Henry E. Kinney Tunnel construction project under U.S. 1, just south of Broward Boulevard, is taking forever. You are correct that it started two years ago, and it’s been a grueling two years: Sometimes the entire tunnel has been closed, forcing horrific traffic detours around downtown Fort Lauderdale. The city even had to move its annual St. Patrick’s Day parade earlier this year from downtown to the beach to steer clear of the mess.
For the most part, one side of the tunnel is closed while crews work. The other side remains open, with one lane reserved for each direction, forcing drivers into a tight, slow ride through the open side.
You may wonder: What’s the point of this lengthy hassle? The Florida Department of Transportation says the work is needed to improve safety, with fixes including replacement of ventilation fans, addition of LED lighting, removal of damaged tiles and upgrading of electrical equipment. Workers are also replacing storm water pumps, adding bicycle-friendly drainage gates, upgrading fire lines and resurfacing pavement.
All this does sound pretty intricate, and I have to credit my colleague Susannah Bryan, who covers Fort Lauderdale, for writing about the tunnel in so much detail. DOT is also installing an Intelligent Transportation System that will add CCTV cameras to the tunnel, as well as vehicle sensors, warning gates and signals at the entrance.
The city has grown tremendously since the tunnel opened 63 years ago, so you could argue it was due for an update. Twenty years ago, officials started talking about improvements, and it’s now a $28.4 million project.
The improvements listed above are only part of the total undertaking. The top of the tunnel will be extended to make way for a new pedestrian plaza with fountains, landscaping, redesigned brick pavers, artificial turf and terraced seating areas; the intersection of Las Olas Boulevard at Southeast Sixth Avenue will also get a makeover, and plans calls for the resurfacing of U.S. 1 from Rio Vista Boulevard to south of the tunnel.
Although it’s a state project, I asked the city for a comment about the lengthiness of this enterprise, and here’s the diplomatic response I got back from City Manager Greg Chavarria: “Staff has been working closely with the District FDOT office to ensure that the project continues forward and meets the expected timelines. We are optimistic that the project will be completed soon and look forward to the ribbon cutting of the new tunnel top park and the amenities it offers.”
Carline Jean / South Florida Sun Sentinel
Traffic along the Henry E. Kinney Tunnel in Fort Lauderdale in July 2022. The tunnel was closed to traffic for a week that month. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
The city has acknowledged delays, though. In March, Mayor Dean Trantalis said completion should have been in 2022.
“The official reason for the delay was supply shortages and work force shortages. They could not find pavers and other surface materials,” he said.
Transportation officials are saying the work will be done by the end of this year; the DOT’s website shows a completion date of “Winter 2023.” DOT officials did not respond to my questions this week.
The bigger question is: Will the delays be worth it when the project is completed? The downtown population explosion makes the compact area increasingly crowded. So many people have moved to the area, especially since the pandemic. Downtown residential occupancy has grown to about 26,000, a 35% increase since 2020 and almost a complete doubling of population since 2010.
I would bet most of these new residents have cars. So any enhancements to our roads become an impossible game of catch-up. Hopefully, we’ll be able to enjoy the Kinney improvements before we have to suffer through another round of construction.
Got a question about life in South Florida? Send to AskLois@sunsentinel.com.