What is The Wave? The Wave is a light rail streetcar project taking shape in Downtown Fort Lauderdale. It seeks to give visitors an alternative to driving their cars. We have only one other rail streetcar in all of Florida and it's in downtown Tampa.
Other cities have trolley "buses" though! And don't need special infrastructure! Yes but rail streetcars give a sense of permanency because of the extensive special infrastructure needed to put it in place. People and businesses know with that kind of capital investment, it's here to stay and won't be put in time out for any myriad of economic reasons.
The Wave streetcar (click link here to public info page) will:
- Create 1,200 construction and related jobs, as well as 50 full-time permanent positions
- Encourage private investment to bring new housing, shops, restaurants, and retail opportunities (which equals more jobs)
- Connect Downtown's many points of interest and link to the regional transit network
- Increase foot traffic due to improved pedestrian amenities
- Direct growth to the urban core and away from our surrounding neighborhoods
- Serve as a catalyst to advance the planned, regional rail systems


Here's some awesome maps of the future connectivity in Fort Lauderdale. The day they have a train that runs to IKEA/Sawgrass Mall is the day pigs fly though with the crappy 595 always under construction. A girl can dream right??


Awesomeness. Coming in 2015!