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Tri-Rail Coastal Link South Florida East Coast Corridor (SFECC) Transit Analysis Study

Home / South Florida Freight and Passenger Rail Enhancement Project

S. FL Freight and Passenger Rail Enhancement Project

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Welcome to the webpage for the South Florida Freight and Passenger Rail Enhancement projects. These projects will support future passenger rail being studied as part of the separate Tri-Rail Coastal Link Study.

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), in coordination with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), is conducting the preliminary design phase for three interrelated and independent rail connections between the existing South Florida Rail Corridor (SFRC) and Florida East Coast (FEC) Railway. These three South Florida Freight and Passenger Rail Enhancement projects are proposed to enhance freight connectivity between the SFRC and FEC Railway. The rail projects will accommodate existing freight traffic, potential future passenger service, and the projected growth in freight rail operations following the Panama Canal expansion and freight intermodal improvements at the Port of Palm Beach, Port Everglades, and PortMiami.
The South Florida Freight and Passenger Rail Enhancement projects being developed concurrently include the following improved rail connections:

  • Phase 1A: Rehabilitate Existing North­wood Connection, Financial Project Number: 434948-1; ETDM Number: N/A; Palm Beach County, Florida
  • Phase 1B: IRIS Northeast Connection, Financial Project Number: 433514-1; Miami-Dade County, Florida
  • Phase 2: New Northwood Connection, Financial Project Number: 434948-2; ETDM Number: 14093; Palm Beach County, Florida

For more information about these projects, download the project fact sheets below.

Public Participation Opportunities

The public is invited to comment on the Preliminary Design Plans provided below. Please provide any comments related to the project or the design plans by May 22, 2015. If you have questions about the projects or comments, please contact the FDOT Project Manager, Marjorie Hilaire, P.E. at: (954) 777-4662, toll free at (866) 336-8435, extension 4662, or via email at Marjorie.Hilaire@dot.state.fl.us.

A Design Public Workshop has been scheduled for the Northwood Connection (Phases 1A and 2) to present project information evaluated during the design phase. The Design Public Workshop took place on Tuesday, May 12, 2015 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Gaines Park (Mary V. McDonald-Wilson) Community Center located at 1505 North Australian Avenue, West Palm Beach, Florida 33401. It was conducted as an open house from 5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. with project information available for viewing during the open house and a live presentation at 6 p.m. Representatives from FDOT were available to discuss the project, answer questions and receive comments.

For more details please follow this link to the workshop advertisement. The Design Public Workshop was conducted to give interested persons an opportunity to express their views concerning the Northwood Connection preliminary design plans for the proposed improvements prior to construction.

The following links provide access to the presentation and the display boards, respectively. If after viewing, you have questions about the projects or comments, please contact the FDOT Project Manager, Marjorie Hilaire, P.E. at: (954) 777-4662, toll free at (866) 336-8435, extension 4662, or via email at Marjorie.Hilaire@dot.state.fl.us.

Preliminary Design Plans

The following are links to the Preliminary Design Plans for each phase for reference and comment as per the aforementioned:

Phase 1A: Rehabilitate Existing North­wood Connection
Phase 1B: IRIS Northeast Connection
Phase 2: New Northwood Connection

Categorical Exclusion Documents

The Categorical Exclusion documents were finalized in June 2014. Click the following links to view the final documents:

Phase 1A Rehabilitate Existing Northwood Connection Draft Documents

Phase 1B IRIS NE Connection Draft Documents

Phase 2 New Northwood Connection Draft Documents

Misc. Documents