SFECC Winter/Spring 2012 Fact Sheet:
Purpose
- Re-introduce Passenger Rail Service on Florida East Coast (FEC) Corridor – 85
miles from Miami to Jupiter
- Improve freight capacity in FEC Corridor
- Provide an integrated, cost-effective regional mobility option in South Florida
- Provide a vital transportation link between the 28 historic coastal communities
along the Corridor
History
- 2005 – 2007: Phase 1 – Alternatives Development & Screening
- Freight Assessment
- Conceptual Definition of Alternatives
- 2008 – 2010: Phase 2 – Detailed Screening of Alternatives
- Detailed Definition of Alternatives
- Regional Master Plan/Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) is Regional Rail
Next Steps
- 2010 – Present: Phase 3 – Project Definition/ Phased Implementation
- Refine Regional Master Plan/LPA
- Coordination & Negotiations w/ FEC
- Finalize FTA Alternatives Analysis
- Update Travel Demand Forecasts w/ FTA
- Continued Public Outreach
- Develop Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (DEIS)
- Define Project Phases and Implementation
- Entry into Preliminary Engineering for Initial
Operating Segment (IOS)
Build Alternative
- Regional Rail service operating on shared track with freight trains for
85 miles (Master Plan/LPA)
- Up to 52 stations (In Ultimate Master Plan); stations are being reevaluated
as part of the Master Plan refinement process
- Operations
- Integration of service with Tri-Rail
- Peak period service every 15 minutes, 30-minute off-peak service
- Mix of express and local service
Funding
- Federal and state funds (25/75 mix) for the Study – Managed by FDOT
- Partners include Miami-Dade, Broward & Palm Beach MPOs, transit agencies, SFRTA and FEC
- No funds currently available for engineering, right-of-way acquisition or construction
- Capital, Operations & Maintenance costs and funding sources being evaluated
- Wide-spread local support from counties and communities along the 85-mile corridor
- Project will likely be built in shorter segments over a period of years
Benefits
- Expands freight capacity and re-introduces passenger service
- Leverages existing FEC track infrastructure
- Provides a mobility option in congested eastern corridor
- Provides consistent travel time savings
- Can create over 440,000 jobs
- Can generate up to $18 billion in economic impact in Florida
- Greater mobility for transit-dependent population
- Allows employers to access broader talent pool
- Provides connectivity to rail and bus transit, airports and seaports
- Establishes spine of a regional rail network that can be expanded statewide
- Improves sustainability
- Mitigates road congestion and accidents
- Encourages transit-oriented development to expand the tax base
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