West Palm mayor: City has 'proposed transportation system' that will address rapid growth
West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James used his sixth State of the City speech Thursday to call for unity and highlighted the growth that has rocketed the city forward in the years since the coronavirus pandemic.
"I'm proud to report that our city, your city, is stronger, healthier and more prosperous than ever before," James told a packed ballroom at the Palm Beach County Convention Center.
That prosperity and growth has brought more people into West Palm Beach's downtown, either as residents or because of work. The resulting traffic backups have frustrated some residents, who have taken to social media to complain about a reduced quality of life. Some have either emailed or called James to express their frustration.
James addressed those complaints Thursday.
"I'm happy to share that we will be advertising a proposed permanent transportation system, one that will significantly expand access to transportation and mobility to over 95,000 people across our city," he said. "That's a big deal."
The mayor, re-elected without qualified opposition to a final four-year term in 2023, did not provide more details about what that transportation system will look like. He did note that the city is expanding its bicycle infrastructure and has been leaning on its RideWPB mobility program to help seniors get to local destinations.
"As our population grows, we need to assure that we make our city more connected, exploring ways to move people and not just cars," he said. "See, I know that at times traffic congestion gets bad."
In addition to a new transportation system, James told the audience of another development — the Cleveland Clinic's plans to expand its operations in West Palm Beach with a new hospital, the first new hospital in the downtown area in more than a century, the mayor said.
"A broad range of specialties will be provided in the new hospital with the flexibility to adapt and add specialty care as the needs of the Palm Beach community evolve," Dr. Conor P. Delaney, president of the Cleveland Clinic's Florida Market, said in a December news release. "Priority specialties will include heart, vascular and thoracic care, digestive disease care, neurological care and cancer care."
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The Cleveland Clinic's decision to expand in West Palm Beach is yet one more sign of the city's growth and prosperity, James said, pointing to a list of others that included:
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The Cox Science Center's $115 million expansion.
$30 million in new city infrastructure projects.
Vanderbilt University's plans to build a campus and "innovation hub" in West Palm Beach.
The Boys and Girls Club's plan for a $13 million facility in Dreher Park.
Continued reduction in overall and violent crime in the city.
James said the coronavirus pandemic, which shuttered businesses for months, forced cities to adapt.
'The challenges of the last five years have taught us that the old ways of doing things will no longer cut it,' the mayor said.
Communities must remain united and focused on challenges in order to tackle them, he said.
"Together, we create safer neighborhoods," James said. "Together, we connect every corner of our city. Together, we fortify the strong foundation. Together, we offer a future of boundless possibilities. This is our time."
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Wayne Washington is a journalist covering West Palm Beach, Riviera Beach and race relations for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at wwashington@pbpost.com. Help support our work; subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: West Palm mayor addresses transportation needs in State of the City
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