FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION : PASSENGER RAIL

Florida Corridor

Description:

Major cities: Orlando, Tampa, Miami

Segment	Mileage	Top Speed (goal)	Travel Time (goal)
Orlando to Tampa	92	120+ mph	1:00 hr
Miami to Orlando	264	120+ mph	2:57 hr

Accomplishments and Status:

On November 7, 2000, Florida voters approved an amendment to its Constitution directing the State to develop a high-speed ground transportation system, using effective and efficient technologies capable of operating at speeds in excess of 120 miles per hour; using dedicated rails or guideways separated from motor vehicular traffic; ultimately linking the five largest urban areas of the State, and beginning construction by November 1, 2003. In response, in 2001, the Florida Legislature enacted the Florida High Speed Rail Authority Act creating a nine-member Authority (FHSRA) charged with completing the preliminary engineering and preliminary environmental assessment of the intrastate high-speed rail system. The Act also requires that the first leg of the system be developed and operated between St. Petersburg, Tampa and Orlando with future service to Miami.

The Federal Railroad Administration and the Federal Highway Administration jointly manage the Section 1103(c) grade crossing hazard elimination program in designated high-speed corridors. $4 million has been invested in reducing grade crossing hazards in the Florida Corridor since the program's beginning in 1993. Details on the grade crossing inventory in this corridor can be found HERE .

Outlook:

The FHSRA selected Tampa to Orlando as the first part to be implemented. The FHSRA and the FRA initiated an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Tampa to Orlando leg. For more information see the Florida HSR environmental review page . Following the Draft EIS public comment period, the FHSRA identified the Greeneway route as the preferred alternative to access the Orlando area. Concurrent with the EIS, the FHSRA is competitively selecting a contractor and has chosen Fluor Bombardier as the turnkey contractor for phase I of the project. FHSRA is proceeding to negotiate a contract with Fluor Bombardier and to enter into agreements with Walt Disney World and the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority, for use of the Greeneway right-of-way. The cost of the first leg, which could begin operations in 2007, is estimated at $2.4 billion.

The FHSRA in its January 2004 report to the governor and legislature recommended that the legislature provide $75 million per year for 30 years to implement the Orlando to Tampa project. Additional Federal and private money would be needed to build the facility. The recommendation is not binding on the legislature.

Over the past three years, the Florida legislature had appropriated a total of $9 million to the FHSRA to complete the EIS for the project. Federal funding of $3 million in FY 2002; $2.14 million in FY 2003 and $4 million in FY 2004 was appropriated for planning activities in Florida and for the EIS. FRA has also provided $4 million in TEA-21, Section 1103(c) funding to Florida through FY 2003 to upgrade some 28 crossings on existing passenger rail routes.

The FRA/Bombardier Turbine Electric Locomotive (TEL) will begin a Corridor Test and Demonstration Program on the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA) between West Palm Beach and Miami in May 2004. Further testing in North Carolina and Southern California is planned. The TEL is a turbine powered locomotive capable of 150 mph service on rail corridors without overhead electrification; with an appropriate trainset it complies with all current FRA Safety Standards for such 150 mph Tier II operations. The TEL completed extensive initial high-speed testing at the Transportation Technology Center and has exhibited almost noiseless, clean operation combined with strong acceleration and high-speed capabilities.

FRA and the SFRTA began a daily revenue service demonstration of fully compliant Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) technology in April 2004, using the Colorado Railcar DMU demonstrator car in trains between West Palm Beach and Miami. Manufacturing of a three-car trainset, targeted to enter service near the end of CY 2004 is underway. The DMU is fully compliant with the most recent FRA Passenger Equipment Safety Standards. A $3.9M FRA grant award to Florida DOT on behalf of SFRTA in FY 2003 supports this effort; it is equally matched by FDOT and SFRTA.

Florida Corridor Contacts
*Organization*	*Personal Contact*	*Topics*
Florida DOT 605 Suwannee Street # MS67 Tallahasee, FL 32399-0450 www.floridahighspeedrail.org	Nazih Haddad Staff Director Tel: 850-414-4534 Fax: 850-922-4942 nazih.haddad@dot.state.fl.us	Amtrak Passenger service High speed rail

Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) contacts for the Florida HSR Corridor
For more infomation see the FHSRA website at: http://www.floridahighspeedrail.org