Project Purpose and Need

Travel along the eastern portions of the three counties, mainly along I-95, U.S. 1 and Old Dixie/Federal Highway, has become increasingly difficult due to growth in development and traffic.  Due to the area’s economic growth, the need for freight transport along the existing railways into the area’s airports and seaports has also increased. Therefore, a regional solution is being sought by the study partners to relieve roadway congestion along the roadways while providing the needed freight transport to the area. Additional transit service along the corridor would provide connectivity to existing and proposed transit (Tri-Rail, Metrorail, Miami streetcar, East-West Line in Broward). It would connect to the three major airports, Miami International, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International and Palm Beach International as well as the four regional airports within the tri-county area, and to the seaports, Port of Miami, Port Everglades and Port of Palm Beach.

The study will also seek to assure that the increasing flow of freight to and from the seaports and airports adjacent to the FEC Railway is not affected if those tracks are shared with passenger rail service. Such sharing has been achieved successfully in many other areas of the country.