Yahoo Finance Brightline raised its costs but cheaper rail along Miami’s northeast corridor is possible | Opinion
The May 8 Miami Herald article, “If you ride the Brightline train to work often, brace yourself for a big change in cost” on increased expenses for Brightline commuters clearly demonstrates the need for affordable, efficient commuter rail solutions in the densely populated northeast corridor of Miami-Dade County and north to Broward and Palm Beach counties.
Brightline, which features Miami-Dade stations in only two locations — Downtown Miami and Aventura — provides regional, intrastate passenger rail service on its way to Orlando. While it is not necessarily designed to serve as a daily commuter service for locals, its success in attracting daily commuters in its early years of operation has shown there is abundant demand for true rail service along the northeast corridor.
Tri-Rail, which runs along separate tracks from Miami International Airport to Broward and Palm Beach counties, has added an extension to Downtown Miami. But other Tri-Rail stations in Miami-Dade County are well west of the urban core, making them less accessible to the more urbanized areas to the east. Additionally, the downtown leg requires passengers to change trains at a Metrorail/Tri-Rail transfer station.
SMART Plan
The northeast commuter rail corridor is an essential component of Miami-Dade County’s Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit (SMART) Plan. It is sorely needed, and there are both federal and state funds that will defray huge portions of the cost.
The Citizens’ Independent Transportation Trust (CITT), the watchdog agency created by voters to oversee expenditures from the half-penny surtax that funds the People’s Transportation Plan, has long advocated for true commuter rail service serving the northeast corridor.
More than talk, the CITT has already allocated over $100 million in People’s Transportation Plan funds for the initial infrastructure projects to service the corridor. The CITT approved partial funding for a commuter rail platform at Brightline’s MiamiCentral Station, making sure it accommodated Tri-Rail trains and linked with Miami-Dade transit.
Likewise, CITT provided funding for a public-private partnership of infrastructure improvements, transit facilities and land acquisition at Brightline’s Aventura Station.
Brightline commitment
In exchange for this funding, Brightline committed to several requirements sought by the CITT. We required Brightline to establish set-asides for discounted monthly passes between the MiamiCentral and Aventura stations at peak periods, and Brightline also agreed to design and construct the Aventura Station platform and surrounding areas to accommodate Tri-Rail or other typical commuter rail trains.
Additionally, Brightline committed to continue negotiations for use of the rails to provide true commuter rail service along the corridor. This new service, which could be offered by Tri-Rail or another provider, would have accessible stations in such places as Midtown, Little Haiti, the Design District and other neighborhoods.
Congressional action
The current federal budget proposal from President Joe Biden includes a $264 million appropriation for the northeast corridor project.
The CITT has joined Miami-Dade County, the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and other groups in urging Congress to approve this funding, which will help make the commuter rail project a reality. We implore the entire Miami-Dade business and civic community to join us in this critically important effort.
Robert Wolfarth is the chair of the Citizens’ Independent Transportation Trust of Miami-Dade County. Javier A. Betancourt is the executive director of the Citizens’ Independent Transportation Trust.
