The United States is increasing its investment in rail infrastructure. In a country where only 5% of workers use public transportation—and where the focus is on road travel and air travel—the government is once again investing in passenger rail and plans to open a line in 2016 that will connect Miami and Orlando in less than three hours.
The All Aboard Florida project, with an investment of 2.8 billion euros, will provide the peninsula with a safe, fast, and sustainable mode of transportation that will offer an economically competitive alternative to more than 50 million passengers. The new high-speed train, which will cut average travel time by 30%, is expected to reduce road traffic by 3 million vehicles, with the associated environmental and economic benefits this brings by lowering fuel consumption and carbon emissions, and reducing road use and maintenance costs.
The project’s environmental impact is minimized because, of the total 380 kilometers of the route, 235 will use existing roads. The project will create more than 10,000 jobs and generate benefits for the region’s economy, as the design, construction, maintenance, and operation of the infrastructure will be 100% financed through a combination of debt and private capital, without impacting public funds or taxes.
Major stations in downtown Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, and Orlando International Airport will be transformed into hubs, housing not only transportation interchanges but also business centers, hotels, and shopping and recreational areas.
