All
Aboard Florida’s proposed 230-mile $1BB commuter rail line would go from Miami
to Ft Lauderdale to West Palm Beach, Jacksonville, Orlando and Tampa, according
to the Orlando Sentinel. Service will
be running at 2014 – with no risk to taxpayers.
Travel time from Miami to Orlando is estimated to be three hours with
day long service from early morning to evening.
Anticipated
are 6,000 construction jobs for Floridians and 400 jobs to operate the rail
service. Workers will also be needed to build station
houses at some stops. Amenities will
include Wi-Fi internet service, gourmet meals, reserved business and coach
class seating and easy-on, easy-off baggage compartments.
Annual anticipated
travelers: 50MM. It is
estimated to take 3MM cars off the road whose drivers will use the rails
instead, resulting in less congestion on I95..
There will be access to major international airports, seaports and
existing commuter and rail systems including Metrorail and SunRail.
Bids
are due by 12-7-012, then review of costs by FDOT (Florida Department of
Transportation) follows, and winners will be chosen by 12-18-2012. Interested companies must attend a mandatory
meeting on 11-13-2012 at FDOT headquarters in DeLand.
All
Aboard Florida is a wholly owned subsidiary of Florida East Coast Industries,
based in Coral Gables, a privately owned, operated and maintained passenger rail
service. It is one of Florida’s largest
full-service commercial real estate and infrastructure companies.
This
will be a solution for millions of Floridians and tourists, for both business
and pleasure trips. Expectation is to
include 200 miles of existing tracks from Miami to Cocoa and a new 40-mile rail
line from Cocoa to Orlando International Airport is to be built.
