Pompano approves federal grant and signs on to rail‑crossing improvements amid safety concerns
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Summary
The commission authorized staff work on railroad‑crossing improvements tied to Brightline/FEC and accepted a $320,000 USDOT Safe Streets for All grant (with an $80,000 local match) to develop a local comprehensive safety action plan for streets; officials said design work is under way and construction on crossings is expected beginning next calendar year.
The Pompano Beach City Commission discussed two transportation safety efforts on Nov. 13: ongoing multi‑agency railroad‑crossing improvements with Florida East Coast Railway (FEC)/Brightline and acceptance of a $320,000 USDOT Safe Streets for All grant (with a $80,000 local match) to produce a local comprehensive safety action plan.
Vice Mayor Fournier opened debate on crossings located at MLK Boulevard, Northeast 6th Street and Southwest 2nd Street — part of a 21‑crossing countywide program prompted by a pattern of fatalities along the corridor. Rob McCann, public works director, said the city holds agreements on three of those crossings, Broward County controls two others, and design work is under way. “Expect construction on these crossings will begin sometime beginning of next calendar year,” McCann said, while noting precise schedules for Pompano crossings remained to be determined.
McCann told commissioners the initial construction cost estimate for the improvements across the five crossings within city limits was about $2.8 million and that the city’s share for the three crossings in the backup was roughly $355,000. Funding is primarily federal via the Broward MPO grant and Broward County contributions, he said.
On the street‑safety front, the commission approved staff’s submittal of a USDOT Safe Streets for All grant: a $320,000 federal award with $80,000 local match to fund a prioritized safety action plan that will analyze five years of crash data, identify high‑priority projects and propose mitigation measures for vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians. City engineer John Spero described the deliverable as a granular companion to the city’s Transportation Master Plan and said the scope and consultant work order would come back to the commission for approval in January.
Commissioners urged clear deliverables and district‑level follow‑ups so the resulting plan can support requests to Broward County for changes on county roads. Several residents in public comment raised related concerns about crossing arms and blocked intersections; staff reminded residents to call police if arms are stuck and to use the crossing‑identification phone number listed on blue signs at each crossing so FEC crews can be notified.
Next steps: staff will complete design work on the crossings and prepare the consultant scope for the Safe Streets project; construction of crossing improvements is expected to begin in early 2026, and staff will bring the grant‑funded scope and transportation master plan companion item to the commission in January.
