Final US OK will bring Tri-Rail to downtown Miami in December

Long-awaited Tri-Rail service into Downtown Miami is still expected this year, and a proposed operating schedule is being reviewed by all involved as final federal approval is awaited.

The $70 million, tax-funded project originally was on the schedule for a 2017 arrival. But the teen years came and went, as did the early 2020s.

Blockages from exposed rebar to delicate negotiations with Brightline and the Florida East Coast Railway stalled the project, South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA) Executive Director David Dech told Miami Today earlier this year.

“We are still preparing for service to start at the end of 2023, barring obstacles outside of our control,” Mr. Dech said in that interview.

And this week, SFRTA information officer Victor Garcia confirmed a 2023 launch, barring any unforeseen obstacles. “We are still preparing for service to start at the end of 2023,” he said Monday. “A proposed schedule has been drafted and submitted to our partners.”

“We have submitted operating and safety plans to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for its approval, which we expect mid-December,” Mr. Garcia said.

Mr. Dech had his wheels already rolling when he took the SFRTA throttle in August 2022. Even with unforeseen obstacles, it’s likely he will finish the project in less than a year on the job. He’s fully staffed with enough conductors, controllers and engineers to handle the 26 additional trains rolling into the Miami station daily.

Not all SFRTA locomotives met federal guidelines when the executive director started in August. “They do now,” said Mr. Dech, who started his career as a switchman. “Our locomotives are 100% compliant.”

“We’ve made a lot of improvements on the trains” and tracks, Mr. Dech told Miami Today. “We’ve changed over 1,000 windows and removed more than 500 tons of debris and garbage from the right of way.”

“We are continuing the process of qualifying our crews and installing the final safety certified … software,” Mr. Garcia said.

As the public rail service heads downtown, riders are embracing Tri-Rail’s new first mile/last mile coupon program for transit to and from trains.
“Tri-Rail’s Ride Partner service continues to be a popular option for passengers to connect to and from Tri-Rail stations,” Mr. Garcia said.

Tri-Rail ridership “continues to grow,” he said, “and is nearly at 90% of pre-pandemic figures.” The system is averaging 13,500 weekday passengers, he said.

Over 450 rides a day are being logged by users taking advantage of the $5 discount coupon, Mr. Garcia said. Uber and taxi services accepting the coupons, he said, are at all Tri-Rail stations in Palm Beach and Broward counties.