This week it was announced that a private company will pick up the passenger rail ball dropped last year by Gov. Rick Scott by financing a $1 billion project to connect downtown Miami to Orlando by 2014.
When Governor Rick Scott turned down $2.4 billion in federal funds intended for a high-speed rail project last year, the prospects for improved passenger service for South Florida looked grim. Florida East Coast Industries (FECI) has stepped into the breach by announcing plans for All Aboard Florida, "a privately financed, $1 billion plan that will launch fast, hourly
passenger rail service between downtown Miami and Orlando by 2014," writes Andres Viglucci.
Although high-speed service is not part of FECI's plan, with intermediate stops in downtown Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, the trains "will cover the 230 miles from Miami to Orlando in three hours and three minutes, significantly faster than it takes to drive," notes Viglucci.
Included in FECI's proposed project are plans to transform "the site of the original train station built by Henry Flagler that gave rise to the city of Miami." According to Viglucci, "FECI, the real estate arm of the conglomerate that also owns the Florida
East Coast freight-rail company, will build a new, landmark station and
a potentially massive mixed-use development on nine acres of fallow
land it owns just north of the Miami-Dade County Courthouse."
FULL STORY: Passenger trains to run from Miami to Orlando
No Little Plans for Private Passenger Rail Service Between Miami and Orlando
The last private passenger rail in the United States closed in 1983, but a private company is working on a 240-mile service between Orlando and Florida. CityLab recently detailed how a relic of the past could transform the Florida of the future.
Florida's Brightline to Break Ground on Delayed Orlando Leg
The second phase of the highly anticipated Brightline express train service is finally moving forward after unanticipated delays.
Nation's Only Privately Funded Express Rail Service to Launch in July
Good and bad news for followers of Brightline, a South Florida rail start-up. Service between West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale begins in July, with Miami soon thereafter, but opponents may hamper extension to Orlando.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.
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Balancing Bombs and Butterflies: How the National Guard Protects a Rare Species
The National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap uses GIS technology and land management strategies to balance military training with conservation efforts, ensuring the survival of the rare eastern regal fritillary butterfly.
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