The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced Florida’s Broward County Commuter Rail South project is moving forward in its next phase of activity.
The project, which will extend commuter rail service from Aventura in Miami-Dade County to Fort Lauderdale, reached a critical phase of the FTA’s Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program, officials said. Now in the engineering phase, Broward County Transit will be able to invest in engineering activities, demolition and utility relocation, property acquisition and other non-construction costs. FTA has committed approximately $164 million to the project.
“Our Federal Transit team has worked at the speed of Trump to help Florida’s Broward County Commuter Rail South move this critical infrastructure project to the next stage,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said. “The milestone means the Sunshine State is one step closer to building a new commuter line that will deliver another affordable, safe, and efficient way for Florida families to get where they need to go.”
The funding, which is still subject to all financial, technical and legal requirements, as well as appropriation by Congress, will support 10.5 miles of commuter rail service along the current Florida East Coast (FEC) Railway to connect northeast Miami-Dade County, Hallandale Beach, Hollywood, the Dania Beach/Airport District, and neighborhoods south of Downtown Fort Lauderdale. Among the expansion efforts are three new stations and new rail vehicles for the planned service.
“The Broward County Commuter Rail South project will improve transportation options for families and commuters between Miami and Fort Lauderdale,” FTA Acting Deputy Administrator Matthew Cahill said. “Transportation and mobility are all about improving the functionality of cities. This project will help connect South Floridians to essential services such as healthcare, education and employment centers.”