Commuter Rail Initiative Q&A

What are the benefits of the commuter rail initiative under consideration by Miami-Dade County?
Transportation and mobility are all about improving the functionality of cities. All of us have experienced the problem of traffic on our roads and highways. We are one of the most congested areas in the United States and South Floridians spend hundreds of hours a year stuck in their cars due to increasing traffic. Offering a car-free way to travel to key cultural and economic centers is something that has been called-for and well-studied for decades. A public transportation system such as this takes cars off the road, provides an eco-friendly way to move about Miami-Dade County and generates jobs and economic impact at a time of great crisis.

Soon, the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners will vote on a new initiative that can cut down traffic and provide a new transit option in the form of a commuter rail system. We don’t know of any project of this size and scope that could begin to put people back to work and spur significant economic impact at a time when our community needs it most.

• Jobs/Economic Impact:
  • 23,500 non-recurring jobs
  • 2,458 permanent jobs
  • $282 million in annual labor income
  • $5.5 million in annual revenue for Miami-Dade County
  • $7.2 million in annual revenue for Miami-Dade Public Schools
• Eco-friendly and car-free way to travel:
  • 1.45 million cars removed from roadways annually
  • Reduction in 3,644 metric tons of CO2

This initiative sounds great. How can I get involved?
If you haven’t already, you can visit WynwoodMiami.com/Rail to submit an email to the Mayor and Commissioners showing your support for the project. If you have already sent an email, we encourage you to share the project with your social network by using #MiamiDadeRail and tagging @WynwoodMiami.

When is the Miami-Dade County Commission scheduled to vote on the proposal?
We anticipate a vote could come as early as mid-September. We will update this page with more information as dates are determined.

Which areas will the proposed commuter rail system service?
The proposed stations will be located along an existing transportation corridor and connect major economic centers and cultural and educational institutions, making it easy for employees, students and tourists to travel. Commuter rail is successful if service is affordable, in line with other mass transit daily commuter rates; stations are located in populated areas and tourist destinations; and have competitive frequency service to cut down on idle travel time. This new service would connect with all four rail transportation systems (Metrorail, Metromover, Tri-Rail and Brightline) and provide residents a viable alternative to driving. It will also significantly reduce travel time and improve quality of life as commuter rail is safer and greener than traveling by car.

This proposal calls for adding up to five stations between the two already established terminals, MiamiCentral and Aventura. Locations are subject to change during the discussions between Brightline and the Miami-Dade County Commission. The proposed new stations are located in:

• Edgewater/Midtown/Wynwood
• Miami Design District
• Upper East Side/El Portal
• North Miami
• FIU Biscayne Bay

If approved, will this system extend beyond Miami-Dade County?
Miami-Dade County would be the first county to vote to implement the well-studied Coastal Link program. Discussions are currently underway with Broward and Palm Beach counties on what an expansion of the system could look like.

If approved, when would service commence?
If approved, construction could begin by the end of the year and service could commence as soon as 2022.

Which other organizations are in support of this initiative?
A broad-based coalition of over 40 community organizations created the “Northeast Corridor Coalition” to advocate for the Northeast Corridor commuter rail initiative along the FEC Railway/Brightline corridor. Led by the Wynwood Business Improvement District (BID), the Northeast Corridor Coalition includes some of Miami-Dade’s most prominent business, education and cultural organizations including Florida International University (FIU), Miami-Dade College, and Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. To view the full list of organizations, click here.

If your organization would like to join the coalition, please contact us.