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FAU may get $14 million for I-95 exit leading directly to campus

By Kathy Bushouse
Staff Writer
Posted February 9 2004

BOCA RATON – Florida Atlantic University and the city are on the verge of getting $14 million from the federal government for a new Interstate 95 interchange to steer school traffic directly onto the campus.

Money for the interchange is in a federal authorization bill by U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Boca Raton, which seeks to tap into the Highway Trust Fund. The fund gets its money from states' gasoline taxes.

"It's getting a lot of momentum," said FAU President Frank Brogan.

University and city leaders have lobbied for the $61.5 million interchange to take traffic off busy Glades Road. The interchange also would aid FAU in its quest to build an on-campus football stadium, Brogan said.

The school is studying the idea of building a combination football stadium and basketball arena similar to the Carrier Dome at Syracuse University. Brogan said a study is expected sometime this fall.

About 62,000 cars a day use the stretch of Glades Road near FAU, according to recent county traffic figures. The six-lane road is built to handle only 48,900 cars a day.

"We're hoping to get this money to FAU so they can start this project," said Wexler spokeswoman Lale Mameux. The money has to go through a committee review before it is approved, Mameux said.

Should the money be approved, the city and university will have leverage to get even more money for the interchange, said City Councilwoman Susan Haynie, who is also a member of the Palm Beach County Metropolitan Planning Organization that sets priorities for traffic projects in the county.

Currently, the interchange is tentatively scheduled for development and environmental studies by the state Department of Transportation in 2005, Haynie said. There is $1 million set aside for that study, she said.

Engineers will look at different ways to bring traffic from the highway to the university, and will examine the environmental impact of those options, Haynie said.

They also must do a report justifying the need for the interchange, since there are exits at Glades and Yamato roads.

Haynie said she hopes something is done soon.

"The only solution to Glades Road congestion is to provide direct I-95 access into the university campus," she said. "There's severe traffic problems today, and the university is growing."

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I was wonder about that interchange and where are they going to put it, there seems to be a lot of constructions going on in that area. Are they planning on it being North of the Airport, it almost seems like
the area is becoming rather congested.

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I heard last year that they are looking near the Yamato Road exit as a direct ramp to the university. That will be the easier sell to the city. Can you imagine them trying anything near Glades Road :o

The Yamato exit would make sense because the Stadium is planned to be in that area too. NW of the Oxley Center.
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They could also make an new exit onto Spanish River. That's initially where I thought it would go.
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They could also make an new exit onto Spanish River. That's initially where I thought it would go.

That was my thinking as well. However, at the rate they're moving with the current I95 construction, we don't have to worry about this for another 10-15 years…when they are adding to what they just did! ::)
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Campus Stadium Info. (sort of)

http://www.miami.com/m…roward_county/7995101.htm

Looks like FAU might have to build an on-campus stadium sooner than later if all this goes through.

President of the No Homers Club. Keepin' it real since 2001.
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If Lockhart is demolished and we need to have a stadium sooner then 2007, are we going to trash the Dome Stadium for a smaller outdoor one instead.
A 20,000 seat Outdoor stadium could be done rather quickly and inexpensive.
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I have mixed feelings about Lockhart being demolished. It is a nice home for us, and of course the Miami Fusion memories still remain…..but in the end….it's a sh!thole.
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Things have the weirdest way of working itself out. That may be the push we need to get it done without the bells and whistles of a Dome.

A nice open stadium will do the same job for us. Kind of hard to sell the basketball team now anyway in reagrds to the Arena.

Keep umbrellas legal.

Plan to build a nice covered walkway or pavillion for the fans.

Use some of the funds to cover parts of the practice fields with a Bubble tent. Cut down on the possibilty of loss practices.

It can be done as it is in other football campuses.
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A pavillion sound nice, lets create an enviroment & atmosphere that will attract fans to the game with out
all the fanfare. Let the game itself draw the fans.
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