US-27 Corridor Discussion Presented by Michael Williamson, - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

2040 Southeast Florida Regional Freight Plan

US-27 Corridor Discussion

Presented by Michael Williamson, Cambridge Systematics, Inc. June 25, 2014

Purpose

• US27 Corridor from Miami-Dade to the Hendry County line has been

studied as a multimodal corridor (rail and highway)

• Corridor has not advanced beyond a PACE Study completed by FDOT

several years ago

• Corridor was listed in Regional Freight Plan needs list as both highway and

rail projects

• Regional Freight Committee debated how best to reflect the project(s) in the

RFP and other local LRTPs

• Committee requested Miami-Dade FTAC be briefed and asked for input on

this topic

2

US-27 Corridor

• Not consistently referenced

in planning documents

• Components consist of:

– Highway expansion (short-term?) – Rail corridor (long-term?)

• Demand driven by:

– Proposed ILCs – Diversion of existing traffic – Statewide connectivity

3

Feasibility Study Called for by Florida Legislature

• “Rail Corridor Studies. From the funds in Specific Appropriation

2077, $700,000 in non-recurring funds is provided for a study to determine the feasibility of a rail corridor along U.S. Highway 27 extending from western Miami-Dade to the City of South Bay and a study to determine feasibility of a rail corridor in the Tampa Bay area, including Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, and Sarasota counties.”

US-27 Rail Feasibility Study

• Review existing plans/studies
• Review existing operations
• Develop a decision matrix

– Inland port? – Deep dredging? – Trans-shipments? – FEC Passenger rail? – Everglades’ restoration?

• Alternatives identification and evaluation
• Feasibility and fatal flaws
• Recommendations
• No fatal flaws were identified based
• n available data

US 27 Multimodal PACE Study

Investigate technical and economic feasibility

• f developing a multimodal corridor.

Main Objectives

• 1. Address Feasibility of Rail By-Pass
• 2. Identify Conceptual Engineering

Alternatives

• 3. Preliminary Impact Assessment on

Surrounding Environment

• 4. Ultimate Development of US 27

Study identified alternatives with least impact as well as order of magnitude costs for highway and rail improvements

Source: US 27 Multimodal Planning and Conceptual Engineering Study.

FDOT will Study US-27 as Part of the Future Corridors Initiative

Source: Florida DOT.

Summary of Studies to Date

• Feasibility Study found a highway/rail corridor to be feasible with no fatal

flaws identified to date

• PACE Study confirmed feasibility and developed preliminary engineering
• Least impact alternatives were identified
• Existing corridor operates at acceptable level of service
• ILCs have been slow to develop
• Proposed passenger service on FEC Corridor advancing

8

Comments to Date from Regional Committee

• Delete highway projects widening US 27 from 4 to 6 lanes from Krome Avenue to

South Bay and from Palm Beach/Hendry County line to SR 80

• Include US 27 rail link from Miami-Dade County to South Bay in the needs list
• Do not include the US 27 rail link in the Regional Freight Plan needs list
• Do not include the US 27 rail link in the Regional Freight Plan needs list but include it in

the plan narrative as a potential long term need

• All three MPOs should reflect the project(s) consistently
• US 27 should be categorized as one multi-modal project that reflects highway and rail

elements

• Operations/access/ownership model will drive railroad support
• Existing freight rail capacity is adequate and can be expanded as necessary; no need

for new rail link 9

How should the US-27 Corridor be Incorporated into Our Local and Regional Planning Efforts?

• Miami-Dade MPO 2040

LRTP?

• Broward MPO 2040 LRTP?
• Palm Beach MPO 2040

LRTP?

• Southeast Florida Regional

Freight Plan?

• Southeast Florida Regional

Transportation Plan?

10

• No action or reference?
• Need vs. concept?
• Highway vs. Rail vs.

Multimodal?

• Market study?
• Advanced feasibility study?
• Advance to PD&E?
• Other options?