Broward reaffirms expansion, deepening plans

Broward reaffirms expansion, deepening plans    Port Everglades said the Broward County Board of Commissioners recently reaffirmed the need to increase berth space at the Port’s Southport Turning Notch as well as to continue toward completion of a Army Corps of Engineers deepening and widening study.
   “This is a two-pronged plan to expand berth capacity and increase operating depths that points to the comprehensive strategy to meet future service demands,” said Port Everglades Director Phil Allen. “We are pleased with the Army Corps’ recent findings because they justify the need for a deeper harbor at Port Everglades to handle the increase of ship traffic that we expect to see as a result of the Panama Canal expansion and the anticipated growth of the market in South Florida.”
   The port said a preliminary national economic development plan recommendation by the Corps is to deepen the port’s channels to 50 feet from the current depth of 42 feet. The port said the plan identified a benefit-to-cost ratio of 2.0, which means that every dollar spent on the project is expected to generate a $2 return on the investment.
   The current cost estimate for the preliminary plan to deepen and widen the channels is $255 million, with $155 million funded through the federal government and the remaining $100 million from the port and other sources.
   The Corps’ final feasibility report is scheduled to be released in November 2012 with a projected construction start date of January 2015 and completion in 2017.