Despite strong opposition from some Dania residents, Broward County Mayor John Rodstrom broke ground on Monday on the South Runway Expansion at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International (FLL) Airport. The project is estimated to provide thousands of new jobs and boost businesses throughout its construction and expanded capacity.

The expansion of the southern runway at the airport to facilitate large passenger jets has been planned for several years. However, the residents of the Dania Beach community (of some 850 homes), despite their opposition, fell short of preventing the $791 million project. They argued that the runway extension would create too much of a noise nuisance from large jets flying over the neighborhood, in contrast to the current, manageable noise pollution from the small prop planes and corporate jets operating from a nearby runway.

The residents reportedly spent over $1 million to halt the runway expansion project. Antoine Paul, a Caribbean-American resident of neighboring Melaleuca Gardens, said he had purchased and moved into a three-bedroom house with his family a few months before learning of the Broward Airport Authority's plan to expand the runway.

"That was a blow, as we just relocated from Queens, New York where we lived close to the JFK Airport, and experienced frequent sound booms from jets landing and taking off," said Paul. "We were very active in the opposition to the planned runway expansion at the Hollywood airport, but it was in vain. Now, we have to accept the situation as the county has promised to assist in soundproofing our homes. So, we'll see."

When the county approved the airport runway project, the agreement included required soundproofing of residents' home. Trailer parks that could not be soundproofed were also purchased by the county. This soundproofing is estimated to cost the county millions.

In his address at the ground breaking ceremony on Monday, Mayor Rodstrom, who originally voted against the project, confirmed the county planned to soundproof all the neighboring homes, install new air-conditioning units and impact glass, and seal the homes to diminish the noise from the jets flying overhead. The county would also assist residents still disturbed by the noise in finding alternative residences.

The expansion project, which is slated to begin in April and be completed by 2014, is expected to create some 11,000 jobs during construction. When complete, the runway will be extended by 8,000 feet from the current 5,200 feet, and will be widened 150 feet from the current 100 feet, opening the airport to more commercial airline traffic, which will create an economic boon to South Florida and Broward County in particular.

Also in attendance at Monday's ceremony was U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, who said the project was critical because of its potential to provide much needed jobs in South Florida, which is still struggling with high unemployment. LaHood said the project will have more than a million dollars local impact each day. Other dignitaries included Florida congresswomen Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Frederica Wilson.