05-27-04
Contact: Kim Riddle
Telephone: 202) 366-5580
The U.S. Department of Transportation officially closed the books today on Metrorail’s Palmetto extension, freeing local officials to move other transit projects forward. Transportation Under Secretary for Policy Jeffrey N. Shane visited Miami today delivering on the federal government’s promise to help pay for the first extension to the system in nearly 20 years.
“I am here with a message from President Bush and Transportation Secretary Mineta -- if you build it, we will come through for you,” he said. “Today the federal government is giving back to South Florida’s taxpayers.”
The Department today announced a $5.8 million installment on the federal government’s promise to help pay for the extension of Metrorail to the Palmetto Expressway. Today’s payment was the final installment provided by the federal government to pay to connect Metrorail to the busy Palmetto Expressway.
Under Secretary Shane said that this marks a win for Florida taxpayers, “with the books closed on the Palmetto Expressway extension, Miami-Dade Transit officials can now turn their attention to other crucial projects like the South Dade Busway Extension and the East-West Corridor.”
The U.S. Department of Transportation provided over $54 million for the Palmetto extension, a 1.4-mile extension of the Metrorail to the Palmetto Expressway. The project included a new station and parking facility, and extended the line from the Okeechobee Metrorail station to the west side of the Palmetto Expressway just north of N.W. 74th Street.
The station opened in May 2003 and today supports nearly 730,000 transit rides each year. “More Metrorail riders mean fewer cars on Miami’s roads, more workers in offices, and more shoppers in downtown stores,” Shane said.
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