10-04-04
Contact: Melissa Sabatine
Telephone: (202) 366-4043
U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta today announced a $13.6 million grant to the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA) to help pay for rail improvements along the 71.7 -mile corridor connecting Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties in South Florida.
“Today’s investment demonstrates the Bush Administration’s dedication to provide hardworking Americans with the transit services they need to access jobs and keep the economy moving,” said Secretary Mineta. “These transit improvements will help promote a stronger economy by linking more commuters to a growing number of jobs and stimulating more businesses throughout the rail corridor in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties.”
The $13.6 million federal investment will help fund SFRTA’s Double Track Corridor Improvement Program Segment 5. The 43.3 mile project includes installing a second set of rail tracks, expanding rail stations, building 11 new bridges and five replacement bridges, and modernizing grade crossing and signal systems.
The expansion will result in more frequent train service during the week and later service in the evenings. Ridership is expected to triple to almost 28,000 commuters per day by 2015. Construction is expected to be completed by December 2005. Since work on the rail system began in 1995, the federal government has invested $94.9 million in the project.
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