Miami, Broward, and Palm Beach counties are unable to sustain their financial contributions to Tri-Rail, so weekend service will end and major cuts made to daily service.
Board members of South Florida Regional Transportation Authority approved a draconian budget for Tri-Rail: "reducing service from 50 trains daily to 30, ending weekend and holiday runs and completely shutting down the system by early 2011."
"Officials also disclosed that the Federal Transit Administration is threatening to demand the return of $256 million Tri-Rail used for adding a second track -- if service is cut below 48 trains a day."
Ironically, the fiscal crunch hits as the train is capturing new riders with hopes for expansion.
The commuter train serving Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties has seen its ridership double in the past three years, and plans include extending it to Martin County, if funds can be found.
"This is the first time in the system's 20-year history that officials are seriously considering ending the service -- formally started in 1989."
"Counties were planning to reduce contributions to the required minimums of about $4.2 million per county -- instead of the $7 million per county under existing levels.
''The counties will no longer be funding this agency at the same level,'' said Broward County Commissioner Josephus Eggelletion, who also serves as chairman of the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority. "That's what the problem is.''
Thanks to Bay Area Transportation News
FULL STORY: Board OK's Tri-Rail cuts but requests new proposal
Commuter Rail Service Between Miami and Palm Beach County Moving Forward
New service connecting Miami and Palm Beach is expected to add 2,000 riders to the Tri-Rail system.
South Florida Commuter Rail Tops Pre-Pandemic Ridership
The Tri-Rail service connects Miami to Broward and Palm Beach counties.
Miami Doubling Down On Rapid Transit
Autonomous vehicles replacing fixed transit may be on the minds of many in the transportation world, but that's not stopping cities from upgrading and building around their transit lines.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
Montreal’s Gorilla Park Repurposes Defunct Railway Track
The park is part of a global movement to build public spaces that connect neighbors and work with local elements to serve as key parts of a city’s green infrastructure.
Art in Action: USC Event Calls for an Urgent Green Energy Transition
The El Respiro / Respire event at USC uses a large-scale human geochoreography to demand an urgent and equitable transition to green energy, blending art, activism, and community engagement to amplify the message of climate justice.
Safe Parking Programs Help People Access Housing
The safety and stability offered by Safe Parking sites have helped 40 percent of unhoused San Diego residents who accessed these programs get into permanent housing.
Study: Single-Staircase Buildings Pose No Additional Risks
Zoning codes have long prohibited single-stair residential buildings due to safety concerns, but changing that could lower the cost of construction and allow for more flexible housing designs.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA)
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research