APP Florida applauds today's U.S. Department of Transportation (Department) announcement of $20 million of funding for construction of the Tamiami Trail 2.6 mile bridge. The funding will come from the Department's Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) V grant.
Bridging Tamiami Trail has long been recognized as one of the central needs of Everglades restoration. With one mile already built, constructing the next bridge will put another piece of the restoration puzzle into place. Paired with funding from the State of Florida, the TIGER grant money will allow work to begin.
“For the better part of a century, Tamiami Trail has cut off the natural water flow that makes the Everglades one of the richest ecosystems on Earth,” said APP’s Director of Everglades Policy Julie Hill-Gabriel. “Today marks another important milestone in our journey to help restore the richness and abundance of life in the Everglades.”