By Dale M. King
BOCA RATON – City officials have approved a list of projects and measure they hope the State Legislature and Congress will adopt when those boards – containing many new faces – convene in 2011.
The lengthy roster is heavy on public transit projects, and also emphasizes the creation of a new Interstate 95 interchange in the area of Florida Atlantic University.
The interchange was first proposed back in 2002 by then-State Rep. Bill Andrews at a meeting with then-FAU President Anthony Catanese and then-Mayor Steven Abrams. Initially, the idea was drawn up to help relieve the glut of traffic on Glades Road, but it will also come in handy now that FAU is building an Innovation Village and a 30,000 seat stadium on campus.
Since the early 2000s, the interchange plan has been proceeding slowly up the list of highway projects to be done, but funding has not been allocated for the final work.
Both the city’s state and federal agenda urges legislators to support “funding of the new I-95 interchange and auxiliary lanes between Glades Road and Yamato Road, to support FAU and regional growth.”
From the state, the city is seeking support of Department of Transportation projects in Boca Raton and backing for the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority and dedicated funding for Tri-Rail. Money would also be included for city shuttle service, bike lanes and bus shelters.
Federal funding for “comprehensive transportation strategy initiatives, including shuttle service, pedestrian-friendly roadway design standards and environmentally sensitive infrastructure projects” are also in the package.
Council members approved the two lists after Deputy City Manager George S. Brown outlined them at a recent meeting.
In a nutshell, said Brown, the city is hoping to keep the state out of its financial coffers. The city opposes caps on revenue or expenditures and is dead set against state government messing with its Home Rule duties.
Issues of water also rose to the top, including support of dedicated funding for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure improvement projects and funding to implement the federal mandate for separating municipal storm water sewer systems through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permitting.
The city will also use its lobbyists to seeking federal reimbursement for Homeland Security preparedness, hurricane preparation and cleanup, a multi-jurisdictional real-time crime center, timely funding of start-up and maintenance into prescription medication abuse cases.
Beach renourishment and a clarification of sober house legislation are also on the wish list going to the Fed.
A full boat of law enforcement efforts is in the plan, including installation and maintenance of city-wide closed circuit TV system; support for legislation to prohibit the carrying of a concealed weapon into any municipal building at any time; full funding of the judicial system and endorsement of legislation to establish statewide regulation of pain management clinics that dispense medication onsite – commonly known as “pill mills.”
Similar requests are going to state officials along with hopes for funding to beautify state road and highway interchanges, a request to correct drainage problems along North Federal Highway from Palmetto Park Road north to the city limits and funding for library construction projects.