The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded a $20 million grant to elevate a portion of the highway blocking the natural flow of water into Everglades National Park.
The money will go toward raising a 2.6-mile section of the Tamiami Trail linking Miami with southwest Florida.
The bridge is the second part of an Everglades restoration project that has long languished through funding and legal challenges. Another mile-long section of the Tamiami Trail was elevated last year.
Federal officials announced Tuesday that the National Park Service and the Florida Department of Transportation will receive the funding.
National Parks Conservation Association officials applauded the funding. Everglades National Park suffers from a lack of water due to various decades-old water-control structures and the highway.
$20M Federal Grant Awarded for Everglades Project
Copyright AP - Associated Press
