 |
| Florida State Archives |
By Jane Feehan
Many know about Fort Lauderdale’s Henry E. Kinney Tunnel* along US Highway 1 (Federal Highway), under the New River. A controversial subject for two decades, it was finally completed in 1960. But not many know – or remember – that a second tunnel was proposed for the city in 1951.
A proposal for a second tunnel, one to go under the Intracoastal off East Las Oas Boulevard, had been toyed with once before and was cast aside. But estimated revenues from the proposed New River project revived thoughts about the second tunnel as part of the Broward County traffic improvement program. Traffic was becoming a monumental problem in growing Fort Lauderdale during the 1950s.
 |
| Looking east on Las Olas |
State Representatives John Burwell and Ted David from Broward County were probably influential in turning down that plan. They were more focused on starting work on the bridge at SE 17th Street.
It would be hard to imagine Fort Lauderdale without the beautiful vista of the waterway provided by the Las Olas Bridge today.
Meanwhile, the tunnel built by Boring Co. has problems in Las Vegas:
Update: Oct. 31, 2021: The Boring Co. submits a 29-page report on the proposed tunnel project:
Update: July 7, 2021 The city of Fort Lauderdale approves bid from Elon Musk's Boring Company for a tunnel from downtown to A1A: https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/fort-lauderdale/fl-ne-tunnel-to-beach-fort-lauderdale-20210707-vtv5p3xhr5f73jjae73ar3za2u-story.html
Update: April 11, 2021 - Elon Musk is in talks with the city to make such a tunnel a reality - by 2022.
Copyright © 2019. All rights reserved. Jane Feehan.
*See index for more on the Henry E. Kinney Tunnel.
Source: Miami Daily News, Dec. 20, 1951
 |
| Florida State Archives |
Tags: Fort Lauderdale history, Fort Lauderdale tunnel, Fort Lauderdale in the 1950s, film researcher
