Broward County Commission Regular Meeting
Director's Name: Monica Cepero
Department: County Administration
Information
Requested Action
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MOTION TO AUTHORIZE County Administrator, or designee, to negotiate, approve, and execute work authorizations with one or more of the firms that the Board approved contracts to be entered into at its November 14, 2023, meeting (Item No. 57) for the creation of conceptual designs for low- to mid-level bridge crossings of the New River, for the review and analysis of other crossing alternatives, and for additional work related to both, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $2,000,000, subject to review for legal sufficiency of each such work authorization by the Office of the County Attorney; and authorize the County Administrator, or designee, to take all administrative and budgetary actions associated with such work authorizations.
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Why Action is Necessary
Board approval or delegation is required for work authorizations under each of the relevant contracts in an aggregate amount of $500,000 per contract.
What Action Accomplishes
Authorizes the County Administrator, or designee, to enter into the referenced work authorizations with one or more of the three firms that the Board approved contracts for Continuing General Engineering Consulting Services for Rail Activities at its November 14, 2023, meeting, subject to review for legal sufficiency by the Office of the County Attorney; and authorizing the County Administrator, or designee, to take all administrative and budgetary actions associated with such work authorization.
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Previous Action Taken
Summary Explanation/Background
COUNTY ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THIS ITEM.
Plans to advance commuter rail service north on the Florida East Coast Railway (“FECR”) corridor have been delayed because of questions about whether a tunnel or bridge is the most cost-effective and technically feasible method for crossing the New River. In an effort to resolve this issue, the County and the City of Fort Lauderdale (“City”) jointly agreed to plan, fund, and execute a joint study to analyze available options. The County and City, through the Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization (“MPO”), jointly retained the Whitehouse Group as the consultant for this study, which was completed in 2023, with the consultant making a joint presentation to both the City Commission and the Board on December 5, 2023.
Based on the results of the joint study, it was determined that a tunnel would be cost prohibitive, with very low potential to receive state or federal grant funding, and would also present problems in terms of resiliency, negative environmental impacts, and a lengthy time for completion. The joint study also found that various stakeholders, including FECR (the corridor owner) and Brightline (the passenger train easement holder) raised issues with previously proposed bridge designs produced by FDOT consultants.
Subsequent to the December 5, 2023, joint meeting between the City Commission and the Board, the City retained a consultant to evaluate tunnel alternatives, and a preliminary report was provided to the County. This report did not address a number of County concerns, which were included in correspondence to the City dated January 9, 2024. To date, the County’s concerns regarding the City’s additional report have not been addressed.
The County has been working with various stakeholders over the last several years in evaluation of New River Crossing alternatives. While there still exists continued requests for extensions of time for further review of alternatives prior to the County’s final resolution of support for a particular alternative to cross the New River, it has been requested by members of the County Commission to bring an item forward to officially begin the process of developing conceptual designs for a new bridge. This approach will account for the lessons learned during the joint study and will consequently offer to better satisfy the needs and desires of a majority of stakeholders. Local business leaders have already stated their support for an “iconic bridge” if a tunnel turns out to be cost-prohibitive. The Fort Lauderdale City Commission passed a resolution along the same lines on December 19, 2023 (Resolution No. 23-1214). The stage is now set to help facilitate a process that will build consensus toward a cost-effective, technically feasible crossing solution.
At its November 14, 2023, meeting (Item No. 57), the Board approved contracts with CDM Smith, Inc., Gannett Fleming, Inc., and T.Y. Lin International (collectively, “Rail Consultants”), for Continuing General Engineering Consulting Services for Rail Activities, for a five-year potential estimated aggregate not-to-exceed total amount of $25,000,000. Pursuant to the terms of each of these contracts, aggregate work authorizations under each contract in excess of $500,000 require approval by the Board. County Administration believes that one or more of these firms are duly qualified to provide the conceptual designs for a low- to mid-level bridge crossing of the New River, to analyze any potential crossing alternatives that may be proposed, and other related consulting services.
If the motion is approved, the County Administrator or designee will be authorized to negotiate, approve, and execute work authorizations with one or more of the Rail Consultants to create conceptual designs for the low- to mid-level bridge alternative for the New River crossing, to analyze any further reports from consultants retained by the City relating to tunnel alternatives, and consulting work relating to these items, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $2,000,000, with each such work authorization subject to review for legal sufficiency by the Office of the County Attorney; and to authorize the County Administrator or designee authorized to take all administrative and budgetary actions in connection with the work authorizations.
Source of Additional Information
Kevin Kelleher, Assistant County Administrator, (954) 357-7320
Fiscal Impact
Fiscal Impact/Cost Summary
A maximum of $2,000,000, paid with Transportation Surtax funds.