Project Purpose and Need

The South Florida East Coast Corridor (SFECC) Study proposes the reintroduction of passenger service on the Florida East Coast Railway between downtown Miami and Jupiter. Service will connect the hearts of 28 downtowns along the east coast and improve north-south mobility between Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties. It will encourage redevelopment and revitalization, and enhance freight movement.

Residents, commuters and tourists encounter delays every day on our roadways, not just during rush hour, and the ability to move goods and services is increasingly constrained. Reinstating passenger service in the FEC corridor would provide an efficient option to driving on congested streets and highways and a much-needed integrated transportation link essential for smart growth management, sustainability and a vital economy.

New transit service in the FEC corridor would serve as the spine of a regional intermodal network, connecting to the existing bus systems and rail transit systems including both Tri-Rail and Metrorail. It would also integrate with the various proposed transit systems including the Miami streetcar, the Wave in downtown Ft. Lauderdale and the Central Broward East-West Connection. It would link to the three major airports, Miami International, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International and Palm Beach International; the four regional airports within the tri-county area; and to the region's seaports, Port of Miami, Port Everglades and Port of Palm Beach.

The Study team will work with the local partners to recommend funding sources that can ensure long-term viability of the service proposed. The results of the study will ensure that freight expansion at the South Florida seaports and airports adjacent to the FEC Railway is accommodated along with the proposed passenger rail service. Similar shared-use corridors are successfully operated in many other areas of the country.

Many local, regional and statewide benefits would result from reintroducing passenger rail along the FEC corridor by improving and using the existing infrastructure. These include expanded freight capacity; reliable travel time savings; improved service for the transit dependent population; enhanced intermodal connectivity for riders; improvements in land use; sustainability, more job opportunities and an enhanced quality of life for South Florida's current and future residents and visitors. The project has the potential to generate up to 440,000 jobs and $18 billion in short- and long-term economic impacts through construction, operations, maintenance and transit-oriented development (TOD). As in other areas around the country, TOD realized over time will expand the regional tax base and contribute to the financial stability of communities along the corridor.