County moving to find multiple railroads to haul solid waste

Written by Miami Today on February 12, 2025

County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava would be directed to explore the use of multiple railway corridors to transport and transfer solid waste under legislation that is to be heard in March by the county’s Infrastructure, Innovations and Technology Committee.

The legislation is being brought by Commissioner Raquel Regalado, who has long championed solid waste disposal by rail to other counties to the north. The legislation on Monday was deferred by the committee to next month at her request.

Ms. Regalado explained to a special January commission meeting on solid waste that the county already has a vendor with a contract to dispose of solid waste using the CSX rail system and that contract is currently being negotiated. She said she wants other options that could also be used to haul solid waste sludge out of Miami-Dade County.

Using freight trains to haul solid waste, she said, takes trucks off roads and helps with congestion of streets, reduces roadway wear and tear, moves the waste at night, and moves it quickly, efficiently and at lower cost. Her aim, she said, is to add rail transportation options.

“Recently, the county has begun discussing the concept of revitalizing certain railroad corridors, freight lines, and passenger services,” the legislation notes, while also providing a solution to management if solid waste.

“In the last several years,” the legislation says, “hauling solid waste by rail has evolved from a concept to an accepted transportation strategy almost nationwide.” On the East Coast of the nation particularly, “solid waste and ash are traveling by rail to landfills and waste-to-energy facilities daily.”

The current contract in question is with Waste Connections of Florida Inc. for solid waste disposal for the county, including by rail. The legislation suggests operators of other rail corridors may already contract with vendors to transport trash and sludge for others and the county should explore using them as well.

The legislation calls for a feasibility study to pinpoint at least two railroad corridors that the county could used to haul solid waste, including any vendors that use the Florida East Coast Railway to haul slush and trash – but only if Florida East Coast executes Northeast Corridor commuter rail service agreements and if its parent Grupo Mexico has executed easements for the Northeast Corridor, which would handle a planned train service between downtown Miami and Aventura.