MIAMI, Fla. — In a groundbreaking move for South Florida Transit, the Miami-Dade County Commission has formally approved key funding and commitments to advance the Northeast Corridor Rapid Transit Project.
By approving the funding plan, the county moved beyond plans towards the actual implementation of the 13.5-mile transport corridor that connects underserved areas with the fast-growing activity center. Local commitments help solidify the county’s share of the capital costs required to unlock federal and state contributions.
This corridor is a key component of Miami-Dade’s broader smart (Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit) program, envisaging multiple rapid transport lines to improve mobility across the county.
The total cost of capital is estimated at around $927.3 million, with stations, truck enhancements, rolling inventory, grade separation and accounting for auxiliary infrastructure. The Federal Transport Agency (FTA) has pledged up to $389.5 million through its new Starts/Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program, covering approximately 42% of the project’s costs. Florida has committed $200 million to the project, but the rest will be covered by local sources, including the county People’s Transportation Plan (PTP). With county approval, the project is now entering the engineering phase. This is a stage that includes final design, procurement and construction preparation.
The Northeast Corridor Project will provide transportation access to new communities and plan services for municipalities, including North Miami, Miami Shores, El Portal, North Miami Beach, Wynwood, Design District and parts of Little Haiti. Estimates suggest that corridors can remove nearly 8,000 car trips per day from local roads. The new line is also expected to expand access to employment, education and services for the more than 65,000 low-income people who currently rely heavily on bus services. The corridor traces the existing Brightline/Florida East Coast Railroad (FEC) alignment, so commuting services will be integrated with the region’s intercity rail network.
Once built, the corridor will add five new commuting stations, expand existing Brightline stations in Miami Kentral and West Aventura, and include support infrastructure such as vehicle maintenance facilities.
Support for the project comes from transportation advocates, local leaders and residents who are unhappy with limited East-West transport options. Many view this as a long-term expansion of Miami-Dade’s rail options beyond existing metrorail, Metrovers and bus networks.
However, there are still challenges. In 2025, Florida’s new state budget eliminated a provision that previously allocated $200 million in real estate tax revenue to support the Miami-Dade rail project. Some state legislators have questioned the county’s use of public funds for projects related to private rail infrastructure. The initial FTA grant is also subject to condition. The final full funding grant agreement (FFGA) relies on further evaluations, including environmental, financial and engineering reviews. It suggests early predictions suggesting that the operation could begin in the early 2030s.
While the funding and engineering phase is underway, the next steps include completing final design work, starting rolling stock, securing a full funding grant agreement with the FTA before major construction begins. Construction is ordered to minimize service disruptions along existing corridors. If all the milestones were met and political support was solid, Miami-Dade could see its first commuter train by the early 2030s.
The county’s funding approval identifies the turning point (from plan to implementation) of a long-established but rarely acted upon project. By adjusting local, state and federal dollars, Miami-Dade bets that rail infrastructure is essential for future growth, mobility and equity targets. Whether this ambition will be fully realized will depend on the continued cooperation between government, private sector and community voices as corridors acquire concrete forms.
