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The Florida Department of Transportation District 6 (FDOT D6) began a study in 1987 for a master plan to improve the traffic circulation and congestions between the Port of Miami (POM) and downtown Miami, FL. This study included a tunnel connection between two man-made islands, the Watson and the Dodge islands. Though a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) was completed in 1992, the project remained on hold for about 10 years. In 2002, Florida Turnpike look over this project, re-evaluated its benefits to the local communities, determined its feasibility (specifically the tunnel options) and established a probable cost.
In 2005, the FDOT D6 regained its charge over the project and concluded that a bored tunnel under Biscayne Bay is feasible. Its primary components are:
* Widening of the MacArthur Causeway Bridge, to accommodate truck traffic to the Port of Miami.
* A tunnel connection between Watson Island and Dodge Island, where the POM is located.
* Connections to the POM roadway system, either for the traffic from the city of Miami or for the truck traffic from 1-395 to the POM.
The project will improve access to and from the POM and provide a dedicated roadway connector linking the POM with the MacArthur Causeway (State Route 41/1) and 1-395, specifically for the trucks in and out of the POM without going through downtown Miami. As identified in the project information memorandum (PIM), its primary objectives are to:
* Improve access to the POM, helping to keep it competitive and ensuring its ability to handle projected growth in its cruise and cargo operations.
* Improve traffic safety in downtown Miami by removing POM traffic, trucks and buses from the congested downtown street network and. in doing so, facilitate ongoing and future development plans in and around downtown Miami.
Project location plan and alignment
The Port of Miami tunnel (POMT) project is located adjacent and east to downtown Miami. Its alignment extends from MacArthur Causeway Bridge, Watson Island, under the Cruise Channel in Biscayne Bay and to Dodge Island, where the POM is located. Its schematic project location plan and alignment is shown on Fig. 1.
Miami Tunnel Access (MAT) concession team
The MAT consists of the contractor, Bouygues Travaux Publics of France: the investment bank...