Brightline, Miami-Dade County Agree To Fee For Commuter Rail

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FL — The Miami-Dade County Commission unanimously approved an access fee agreement paving the way for a new commuter rail system on the Brightline/Florida East Coast Railway corridor on Friday, according to a news release from Brightline.

The system would connect the northeast region of the county with possible station locations at 151st Street (Florida International University), 123rd Street (North Miami), El Portal, Little Haiti, the Design District and Wynwood. The system would be interoperable with Brightline’s Aventura and Miami Central stations and would ultimately connect with Metrorail, Metromover and Tri-Rail, according to the release. This project, which has been studied for decades, will provide reliable, convenient transportation to one of the densest areas of Miami-Dade County.

The agreement focuses on a $12 million annual access fee in addition to an initial payment of $50 million by the county. The 90-year agreement only includes the payment of the annual fee for the first 30 years, the news release said.

The system is designed to run hourly trains with additional service during peak rush-hour. The county will begin negotiating definitive documents with Brightline over the next 60 days and expects to decide who will operate the system in the coming months.

The commuter rail system is expected to generate significant economic and environmental benefits while carrying nearly three million riders each year, the news release said. Based on independent economic studies, the system is expected to generate $5 billion in economic impact over the first 10 years. This includes over 23,500 jobs, $282 million in annual labor income, $5.5 million in annual revenue for Miami-Dade County and $7.2 million in annual revenue for Miami-Dade Public Schools.

“This is a tremendous milestone for Miami-Dade County and all the credit goes to the county commission and their vision to improve mobility in our community,” said Patrick Goddard, Brightline president. “A commuter rail system will take cars off the road and provide an environmentally friendly way to get around our region. In the short term, it will create jobs and rebuild our economy as we rebound from COVID.”

Commissioner Sally Heyman said, “For decades, I have advocated for a commuter rail along the Northeast Corridor, mobilizing people while reducing vehicles on our congested roads.”

“Developing a commuter rail system along the economic centers of Miami-Dade County will provide more access to jobs, cultural centers, arenas and other locations critical to residents,” added Audrey Edmonson, commission chair. “Transportation remains key to moving our county forward and creating much-needed economic opportunities.”

Brightline, the first privately funded passenger rail system in America in over a century, operates in Florida between Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. The company plans to develop new stations in Boca Raton, Aventura and Port Miami. Construction to Orlando is also underway and will be complete in late 2022.