Miami-Dade County Public Works staff is reviewing recommendations for non-stop train service connecting Miami International Airport and Port Miami, a spokesperson for the Miami-Dade Transportation Planning Organization confirmed.
Transportation officials believe the rail line would ease traffic around the world’s busiest cruise ship terminal, according to a MDTPO 2050 Master Plan study published four months ago.
The project comes with a significant price tag, estimated to cost $600 million to $800 million for capital expenses and between $9 million and $15 million annually to operate, the TPO research noted.
While the port currently has a freight train bridge, passenger rail would require one of two new alternatives:
Option 1: A 9-mile extension of the MetroMover people mover track, which could utilize the existing port bridge or the Miami River bridge. However, MetroMover cars have a capacity of no more than 50 people.Option 2: The second, higher-capacity option expands Metrorail, requiring a 10-mile track extension and a new bridge built over the Intracoastal Waterway.