Miami mayor vows tunnel project to move forward

Miami mayor vows tunnel project to move forward    Miami Mayor Manny Diaz vowed last week that a project to build a tunnel to move freight in and out of the Port of Miami would proceed.
   Last week the Florida Department of Transportation said it would proceed with a new procurement process for the tunnel after concerns about the financing for the project, according to the Miami Herald.
A bid had been awarded to a consortium headed by Bouygues Travaux Publics of France in 2007 to design and build the tunnel over a 47-month period and operate it 31 years, but last week the state decided to rebid the project, reportedly because the economic downturn had made financing of the deal by Babcock & Brown uncertain.
   ‘I am pleased that this important project is alive and will move forward. I thank Gov. Charlie Crist for taking the time to come to Miami City Hall this past Monday to discuss the importance of the Port of Miami Tunnel, and for keeping his promise of moving forward with the project,” Diaz said. “Investing in a Port of Miami Tunnel is vital to keeping our port competitive in today’s economy and to building the Miami of the 21st Century and beyond.”