Intracoastal Waterway Deepening Project Underway, Fort Lauderdale, FL
This tax supported dredging to accommodate the yachts of the wealthiest of the wealthy clearly shows to whom Florida politicians bow. You will pay for the project, but will it aid you in any way?
FLORIDA – AICW – WEST PALM BEACH TO MIAMI – FORT LAUDERDALE: Intracoastal Waterway Deepening Project
The Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND) is sponsoring a project to deepen the AICW channel to -15 ft MLW in a ±2-mile section from 17th Street Causeway to just north of the Las Olas Bridge. Material from the AICW channel will be mechanically dredged by Cashman Dredging, Inc. and placed into a barge. The material will be dewatered and temporarily placed at a Dredged Material Management Area (DMMA) located at Port Everglades. Dredging will begin the first week of May 2016, and is expected to continue for about 50 weeks. The Dredge CAPTAIN A.J. FOURNIER will work daylight hours only. During the project, every reasonable effort will be made to accommodate normal, safe navigation operations. However, mariners should be aware that clearances within the AICW will be reduced and navigability will be limited during dredge operations. Mariners are urged to subscribe to daily email updates at IWWDredgePosition@jaycashman.com for operation reports and potential impacts to navigation, or call Stephen Tobin (877) 294-9990 or (888) 280-9630 for general questions concerning the project.
Comments from Cruisers (8)
I think Larry and others are largely missing the point. This project has almost nothing to do with navigating the ICW or special privileges for megayachts. After all, it is only a couple of miles in length. The real reason for the project is for economic support of local businesses. Not a whole lot different than a new highway to support a large factory or deepening a harbor to support commercial shipping.
Gene
The CONTROLLING depth of the ICW is 12′. I think Larry is reacting as I did to the 15’depth of the project using taxpayer money in a section of the ICW that has few reported shoaling problems from cruisers. It is clearly for the benefit of the megayachts who visit the port. It is about 20:1 from my experience on Foreign vs. USA registration…. and there are numerous spots on the FL ICW that don’t even carry 6 ft. without tidal help where the money could have been better spent. I’d suggest that if FT LAUDERDALE wants to deepen it’s waters…they should fund it from their tax base… or impose fees on marinas catering to those depths…. and let the taxpayers deal with NORMAL maintenance of the ICW which should be funded by users through fuel and use taxes… not the general public.
I think all the mega yachts contribute far more to the community finances than the smaller recreational boats!
Considering that most of the mega yachts that will need these additional depths in this area are mostly foreign flagged vessels that avoid taxes in the U.S.
Whereas US tax payers and local boaters cannot find affordable dockage and other marine services, these funds are being spent purely for the wealthy.
Amen brother
I think Larry is dead on. How many recreational boaters are needing or clamoring for 15′ depths?! Re-work Matanzas Inlet, Jupiter Inlet or one of the many ICW shoal areas.
I, too, find the tone odd… The dredging project is to accommodate deep draft vessels, which spans many economic ranges, both private and commercial. And the positive about this 1% you mention, is that they spend a lot of money, as their vessels, guests, and crew require a range of services ranging from high end boutiques and restaurants to neighborhood hardware stores and fast food restaurants to mechanics and professional services. That’s a lot of employment creating more taxpayers and more spending. Circle of economic life.
I find the titling of this article odd. Larry seems to be adopting the non-boat owners’ view that all boaters are wealthy and that improvements to the nation’s waterways is “welfare for the rich.” Certainly that characterization is wrong. What I suspect Larry meant is that the money for this deepening project could be better spent elsewhere to the benefit of cruisers who rely on the ICW. A fair point, but to describe the project as is done in the title gives the wrong impression and is a disservice to the very idea that the waterways are for all boaters, not just the rich.
Bill Marett