City must show the MPO a united front
Dear Editor:
Last week, I attended the SW 10 Street overpass committee of the MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization) board meeting. There were pictures of possible solutions to the traffic problems along SW 10 Street. The public was invited to give its input to help solve the traffic problems. I spoke of possibly adding two lanes on the south side of 10 Street with one lane in each direction as a speed lane with timed traffic lights. This would cause the least disruption for the residents of Deerfield if any solution had to be found.
The MPO board feels there is a traffic problem from the Sawgrass Expressway to I-95. Be assured something will be eventually done. The overpass was not received well by the committee. I expected Deerfield Residents and committee appointees would defend our views. A resident of our city got up and spoke of a [type of] superhighway, 15 or 18 feet down and 12 or 13 lanes wide, called a depressed roadway. It would mean bridges would have to be built to cross Powerline and Military Trail. Fences would have to be built to protect the vehicles below from teens showering windshields below with rocks. These would make 10 Street look like a prison. He even suggested super express bus lanes and a rail line. I asked myself from where and to where would this rail line go?
The pollution from 12 or 13 lanes of trucks and other vehicles, I believe, would be dangerous to the health of our residents on both sides of this monstrosity. Pollution is a serious problem. We must protect the environment.
This is an issue we, as a city, must unite on. When invited, the public must show up in force to let the MPO know how we feel and what we will accept and not accept.
There is no politics here, just a concerned resident of Deerfield Beach.
Bernie Parness
Deerfield Beach, FL
[Editor’s Note: MPO meetings are open to the public and are held at the Broward MPO offices (unless otherwise stated), located in the Trade Centre South Building, 100 W. Cypress Creek Road, Ste. 850, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309. For more information on all meetings, visit www.browardmpo.org/calendar.]
