All
Aboard Florida plans to run an express passenger rail service using 32
passenger trains a day from Miami to Orlando International Airport on the
Florida East Coast Railway tracks, with Miami to West Palm Beach service expected
to begin in late 2016 and West Palm Beach to Orlando to start in 2017. The 235 mile route would take about three
hours. Over the next 8 years, $6.4BB
will have a direct positive economic impact to Florida’s economy with $653MM in
federal, state and local government tax revenue through 2021. Construction will add 10,000+ jobs between
2014 and 2016 and more than 5,000 jobs on average per year after completion of
rail line through 2021.
The
522-page study, required by All Aboard Florida’s request for a $1.6BB federal
loan, concluded that:
· the All Aboard Florida’s passenger train
service between West Palm Beach and Orlando will have a minimal environmental
impact, while improving air quality and reducing noise in surrounding
communities with wait time at crossings between 1.7 minutes for passenger
crossings and 2.8 minutes for freight
· the
corridor will be shared with existing freight trains traveling between
PortMiami and Jacksonville
· if measures are not taken to reduce its
impact, it could affect wildlife, traffic and the marine industry; but, the report says that the trains are not
expected to have “significant adverse impacts” on protected species or habitat
· All Aboard Florida has proposed measures
to reduce negative impacts, including efforts to minimize bridge closures, vibrations
and noise
· the 128-mile stretch of the Florida East
Coast Railway tracks from West Palm Beach to Cocoa Beach could reduce noise by
installation of less-noisy horns at rail crossing or implementation of quiet
zones along the corridor
· Encouraging mass transit would reduce
vehicle emissions across South Florida should improve air quality with about
3MM less vehicles on the roads
· Approvals are also required by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Coast
Guard, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Federal Highway Administration,
the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service
While estimation is that 1100 jobs per year
will be created by 2021 with labor income valued at almost $294MM, there is
concern from opponents that, “They talk about the creation of jobs, but they
are going to build a railroad and leave.”
The
nonpartisan Government Accountability Office has been asked to investigate
whether the plan is financially viable with concerns of the Treasure Coast-Palm
Beach Community, including the effect on the drawbridges that allow
recreational and commercial boaters access to the ocean. There are 18 locations that need either to be
rehabilitated or to replace original bridges and improve two over the St. Lucie
River and Loxahatchee River. Plans are
to mitigate boat bottlenecks by managing train schedules to two trains crossing
at once and making the schedules public to boaters. At most rail crossings, the service would
result in about 3 new closures an hour or 54 closures a date with an increase
of about 2 minutes over current conditions.
Tourism
will increase with more easily reached destinations along the southeast Florida
coast currently there are 95MM+ visitors to the state with 50MM currently
making the planned route. Florida will
become the third most populated state in the US. No ongoing taxpayer subsidies required. Siemens will be the Train Manufacturer.
A
Draft Environmental Impact Statements predicts:
· 3.5MM annual ridership per year by 2019
· 4 MM by 2030
· 69%, ridership diverted from cars
· 10%, riders diverted from air travel
· 10%, riders diverted from bus service
· 2%, ridership diverted from Amtrak
The
public has 75 days to comment on the study, which ends on December 3rd;
there will be 8 public hearings from Miami to Orlando. One public hearing will be on Oct 29 at 3:30
pm to 7 pm at the West Palm Beach Marriott at 1001 Okeechobee Boulevard in West
Palm Beach.
