Seize the opportunity to correct access error

Government is often criticized for its failure to foresee potential problems and for inspiring the question, “what were they thinking?” Myopic box checking and antiquated modeling can obscure a true vision for what is needed. These observations could not be truer when examining the infrastructure accessing the BB&T Center arena in Sunrise.

In 1986, the Sawgrass Expressway was opened. Since then, there has been consistent growth in western Broward County and Palm Beach County, with ever increasing demand to connect to other major highways to the north and south.

In 1998, the arena now known as the BB&T Center was completed. Currently, with approximately 100 events a year, the arena attracts approximately 1,000,000 visitors annually. The corporate park just to the south attracts 20,000 workers per day. Sawgrass Mills mall continues to be one of Florida’s most significant attractions, with an estimated 25,000,000 visitors per year. In the years ahead, there is over $1,000,000,000 in capital investment planned in and around that corridor.

Bizarrely, the road built in 1998 along the north side of the arena was constructed to link with the Sawgrass Expressway without any access to or from the north. Known as Pat Salerno Drive, visitors can only access it from the south, and the outbound road only heads southbound.

In June of this year, the Broward County’s development consultant, Urban Land Institute, was retained to analyze the best development strategies for the arena property. While the ULI concluded the arena property was primed for smart and synergistic development, it also concluded one necessary component was ensuring access to and from the north along the Sawgrass Expressway. The major economic investors, stakeholders, residents, city of Sunrise and Broward County all agree.

What’s the problem? The Turnpike Enterprise, which controls all decisions on toll roads and is planning comprehensive interchange improvements throughout the Sawgrass Expressway, refuses to construct a ramp to allow access to and from the north.

Vacillating between excuses regarding return on investment and constructability, the decision by bean counters and traffic modelers runs headlong into the actual human experience so obvious to anyone who has actually traveled in the corridor. Modeling doesn’t take into account the power of the economic engine in this corridor.

In contrast, District Four of the Florida Department of Transportation has been a positive model of collaboration for other necessary changes in the corridor. District Four understands improving access to highways drives economic growth and protects jobs. Stagnating traffic patterns and gridlock on interior roadways leads to the halt of economic expansion and can be a job killer.

We now have the unique opportunity to correct a prior error and stimulate development, job creation, and private investment of over $1 billion in this immediate area, which would benefit the county and the region.

A full interchange at Pat Salerno Drive would allow for full development of the BB&T Center site, provide direct access to and from the Sawgrass Mills mall, and reduce traffic impacts on local roadways from nearby exits along the Sawgrass Expressway.

Perhaps the Turnpike Enterprise’s refusal to build a north ramp is because doing so would accentuate the grave failure in their planning 20 years ago.

What is worse, admitting an error in judgment or compounding it for the next generation?