Removal of 5.5 miles of roadbed will clear a broad path for water to flow into the Everglades. On Dec. 12 the South Florida Water Management District approved a 730-day, $5.89-million contract with Ryan Inc. Southern, Deerfield Beach, Fla., for construction of the Old Tamiami Trail Removal Project. The highway, U.S. 41, opened in 1928, allowing travel between Naples and Miami for the first time. The elevated roadway effectively dammed the sheetflow of water nourishing the Everglades, so its removal has been a long-sought goal of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. Since 2012, 10 miles of bridging has been built for Tamiami Trail at a cost of $181 million to allow removal of the old roadway. Notice to proceed will be issued in January.