Jacksonville - Miami Rail Project Still Moving Forward

[Joe]

Why in the heck would I want to go to the Miami airport as the end of the line?

Because that's where they are building the Miami Intermodal Center. It's a really amazing project that a lot of people here might not be familiar with.

From the MIC you can hop Metrorail to downtown in a matter of minutes. You could also hop on Tri-rail, the new bus hub, rent a car at the consolidated car rental building across the street, tax a taxi, catch a flight at the 2nd largest international hub airport in the country, or do buisness at the 4+ million square feet of commercial space that has been zoned for the land immediately adjacent to the MIC.

In other words, the airport is the perfect location for a Miami stop.

The MCS is an intermodal facility designed to accommodate various transportation connections, hence providing connectivity between transportation options. Built around the existing Tri-Rail tracks at its Airport Station, the MCS will feature grade level tracks for Tri-Rail, Metrorail (upon completion of the MIC-Earlington Heights Extension Project) and Amtrak rail service. East of the tracks will be a U-shaped public esplanade around which private vehicle parking will be available. This public space will be a gateway to the MCS around which bus depots will be located for Greyhound, Miami-Dade Metrobus, intercity buses, courtesy buses and shuttles currently serving MIA, and taxis.

An elevated pedestrian walkway will span across the rail tracks from the public esplanade into the MIA Mover's MIC Station. The MIC Station is located west of the MCS at the fourth level next to the RCC Customer Service Lobby. The MIA Mover will take passengers to and from Miami International Airport into the MIC. Upon their arrival they may choose to go into the RCC or proceed into the MCS via the elevated pedestrian walkway.

The MIC Program has also taken into account the Miami-Dade's Bicycle and Pedestrian Program and throughout the MCS facility provisions for bicyclists, as well as pedestrians, will allow them to safely move about and make their transportation connection.

A joint development component is envisioned at the MCS, bordering NW 37th Avenue to the east and to the west the public esplanade. The MIC Program has dedicated 7 acres of the 27-acre MCS site for the development of this component.

Once the MCS opens for service, it will be a main transfer point for resident commuters and visitors to the South Florida region between the rail and bus systems available. A public transit network will be created in which transit times may be reduced and users may require fewer transfers to get from point A to point B, anywhere between West Palm Beach, Florida and Homestead, Florida.

[brainstormer]

^ Very cool.  I'm headed to Miami on Saturday.  I booked a Southwest flight because I didn't feel like driving.  However, I would have preferred the train to flying if it was available.  Perhaps JTA needs to rethink the planned transportation center here.  It isn't too late to do it right!

[Ocklawaha]

The train WAS available, where were you?

OCKLAWAHA

[Joe]

I'm not sure that a 10 hour trip (and that's if Amtrak is on time, which it often isn't) from Jax to Orlando to Lakeland then to Miami counts as "available" train service from Jax to Miami. That's about as viable as hitchhiking.

Again, all the more reason that this proposed new service would be great.

[Ocklawaha]

Well Joe, your partly right about this one. Only the Silver Star makes the dead end turn to Tampa, then back out to Miami... It's stupid, and if FDOT had any sense, and helped fund Amtrak in Florida, that train would still be splitting in JAX, with the Tampa Section running Waldo-Ocala-Wildwood-Dade City-Lakeland-Tampa, while the Miami section would follow the Silver Meteor Southward via Palakta-Deland-Sanford-Winter Park-Orlando-Kissimmee-Winter Haven-Lake Placid-Sebring-West Palm-Miami.

Bottom line is the Meteor is available every day without the need to visit Tampa. Even so, it's a 9 hour trek but it is scenic and the food is good. Timekeeping is much better then it was just a few months ago now that Amtrak and CSX have found some mutual benefits from cooperation.


OCKLAWAHA

[tufsu1]

^ Very cool.  I'm headed to Miami on Saturday.  I booked a Southwest flight because I didn't feel like driving.

sounds like you may be driving some anyway...since Southwest flies into FTL

[Ocklawaha]

^ Very cool.  I'm headed to Miami on Saturday.  I booked a Southwest flight because I didn't feel like driving.

sounds like you may be driving some anyway...since Southwest flies into FTL

Curb Thy Tongue Naive! This is a full service site!

Transit directions to Airport-Griffin/TRI-RAIL STATION
Suggested routes

   
Suggested routes - Show options
8:02pm - 8:50pm
48 mins
8:06pm - 8:50pm
44 mins
Walking (58 mins)
   
FLL
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315
$3.00 (vs. $1.84 driving)
Travel time: about 48 minsShowing Trip 1
   Walk to Int Airport/DL Term 2-3
About 1 min

Beta: Use caution â€" This route may be missing sidewalks or pedestrian paths.
1.   Head north on Terminal Dr      
272 ft
   
   Walk to Int Airport/DL Term 2-3
   About 1 min

   
Bus - 1 - Direction: Aventura Mall
Service run by Broward County Transit - (954) 357-8300
8:03pm   Depart Int Airport/DL Term 2-3 (Stop ID: 4622)
   8 mins
8:11pm   Arrive US1/Dania Beach B (Stop ID: 0017)
   
   Bus - 1 - Direction: Aventura Mall
   Service run by Broward County Transit - (954) 357-8300
   8:03pm    Depart Int Airport/DL Term 2-3 (Stop ID: 4622)
   8:11pm    Arrive US1/Dania Beach B (Stop ID: 0017)

   
Bus - 4 - Direction: Airport-Griffin/TRI-RAIL STATION
29 mins to make transfer
8:40pm   Depart Dania Beach City Hall (Stop ID: 1289)
   10 mins
8:50pm   Arrive Airport-Griffin/TRI-RAIL STATION (Stop ID: 5391)
   
   Bus - 4 - Direction: Airport-Griffin/TRI-RAIL STATION
   29 mins to make transfer
   8:40pm    Depart Dania Beach City Hall (Stop ID: 1289)
   8:50pm    Arrive Airport-Griffin/TRI-RAIL STATION (Stop ID: 5391)

   
Airport-Griffin/TRI-RAIL STATION

$1.50 (vs. $1.84 driving!)
Travel time: about 44 mins
   Walk to Old Griffin R/Griffin R
About 41 mins

Beta: Use caution â€" This route may be missing sidewalks or pedestrian paths.
1.   Head south on Terminal Dr toward S Service Rd      
0.3 mi
2.   Slight right at S Service Rd      
351 ft
3.   Turn right to stay on S Service Rd      
0.1 mi
4.   At the traffic circle, take the 1st exit onto Perimeter Rd      
0.6 mi
5.   Turn left to stay on Perimeter Rd      
233 ft
6.   Turn right at NW 10th St/FL-818 W/Griffin Rd
Continue to follow FL-818 W/Griffin Rd
      
0.9 mi
7.   Turn right      
33 ft
   
   Walk to Old Griffin R/Griffin R
   About 41 mins

   
Bus - 4 - Direction: Airport-Griffin/TRI-RAIL STATION
Service run by Broward County Transit - (954) 357-8300
8:47pm   Depart Old Griffin R/Griffin R (Stop ID: 0444)
   3 mins
8:50pm   Arrive Airport-Griffin/TRI-RAIL STATION (Stop ID: 5391)
   
   Bus - 4 - Direction: Airport-Griffin/TRI-RAIL STATION
   Service run by Broward County Transit - (954) 357-8300
   8:47pm    Depart Old Griffin R/Griffin R (Stop ID: 0444)
   8:50pm    Arrive Airport-Griffin/TRI-RAIL STATION (Stop ID: 5391)

   
Airport-Griffin/TRI-RAIL STATION


Travel time: about 58 minsShowing Trip 3
   Walk to
About 58 mins

Beta: Use caution â€" This route may be missing sidewalks or pedestrian paths.
1.   Head south on Terminal Dr toward S Service Rd      
0.3 mi
2.   Slight right at S Service Rd      
351 ft
3.   Turn right to stay on S Service Rd      
0.1 mi
4.   At the traffic circle, take the 1st exit onto Perimeter Rd      
0.6 mi
5.   Turn left to stay on Perimeter Rd      
266 ft
6.   Turn right at NW 10th St/FL-818 E/Griffin Rd
Continue to follow FL-818 E/Griffin Rd
      
1.4 mi
7.   Turn left at Anglers Ave/Ravenswood Rd      
0.1 mi
8.   Turn left at Gulf Stream Way      
0.2 mi
   
   Walk to
   About 58 mins

   
Airport-Griffin/TRI-RAIL STATION

   
OCKLAWAHA

[brainstormer]

^ Very cool.  I'm headed to Miami on Saturday.  I booked a Southwest flight because I didn't feel like driving.

sounds like you may be driving some anyway...since Southwest flies into FTL

I do realize this guys.  A friend will be picking me up, so the point I was trying to make is this.  Since I don't want to drive by myself I really have one option that makes sense.  I can't spend 9 hours on the current train service because most of my weekend would be spent traveling.  The flight into FTL will save time and money, but it isn't as convenient.  If there was a train that got me there in around the same time as driving, I would probably take the train vs. flying even though it might take a little longer simply because the experience would be a lot more comfortable.

[coredumped]

This NEEDS to happen - I would love this and use it frequently. And it's only a 1/6th of the price of the outer beltway!

[thelakelander]

Fort Lauderdale is also considering light rail, modern streetcar and peoplemover systems to link their downtown, cruise port terminal and airport with the CSX corridor (Amtrak/HSR).  The Wave modern streetcar system is anticipated to break ground next year and be in operation by 2013.



http://www.wavestreetcar.com/

[mtraininjax]

In other words, the airport is the perfect location for a Miami stop.

So if there was a multi-use transit hub at our airport, it would be perfect too? That logic is as out of date as the need for a downtown rail hub in Miami. The tracks are still there, would be better to deliver folks downtown, again, with a simple Winter Park-esque station, and allow people to explore downtown Miami, not the expansive airport.

What culture is there to see at airport again?

[mtraininjax]

primarily because the Amtrak route uses the CSX tracks (along I-95) in south Florida not the FEC tracks...there is a study underway to use the FEC tracks for local urban transit (think light rail or trolley)...but intercity and regional service are better served on the CSX tracks (far fewer street crossings).

Interesting...., but what does this have to do with an Amtrak station downtown Miami?

[thelakelander]

DT Miami already has a train station.  Its called Government Center Station.  It will be directly connected to the MIC via Metrorail.  Its sort of like taking a rail line in suburban New Jersey and having to transfer at Secaucus to get to Manhattan.

Government Center Station is a Metrorail and Metromover changeover station in the Government Center district of Downtown Miami, Florida.

The station is located near the intersection of Northwest First Street and First Avenue, at the Stephen P. Clark Government Center Building. It opened to service May 20, 1984. It is the hub of most travel via Miami-Dade Transit, servicing not only Metrorail and Metromover, but ten Metrobus routes and Paratransit.

[tufsu1]

primarily because the Amtrak route uses the CSX tracks (along I-95) in south Florida not the FEC tracks...there is a study underway to use the FEC tracks for local urban transit (think light rail or trolley)...but intercity and regional service are better served on the CSX tracks (far fewer street crossings).

Interesting...., but what does this have to do with an Amtrak station downtown Miami?

simple...Amtrak uses the CSX tracks which don't go to downtown!

[coredumped]

A little off topic, but what happened w/Amtrak's prices? I wanted to get a round trip from here to tampa this weekend, it's $120!!!
I can drive my V8 truck for cheaper than that!