Miami – Financing is the biggest challenge for the Miami-Dade Northeast Corridor Rapid Transit Project, as the county’s brain trust scrambled for resources to complete 13.5 miles of commuter rail.

That includes seven stations built in Miami Central, Wynwood, Design District, Little Haiti, North Miami, FIU/Biscayne and West Aventura.

The project is designed to alleviate traffic congestion, connect residents to job opportunities, and students to Florida International University’s Biscayne Bay campus, as well as improve their quality of life by combating climate change.

And through the efforts by a coalition of elected officials and business leaders, the county took a big step by recently securing $389 million in federal funds to expedite the expansion of Metrorail to connect residents to their destinations without the frustration of being caught in traffic gridlock.

The outgoing administration of President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris announced the financing which was requested by Miami area members of Congress, including U.S. Reps. Frederica Wilson, Mario Diaz-Balart, Carlos Gimenez and Maria Elvira Salazar.

The commuter service will run in each of their districts.

With the expansion costing an estimated $927.3 million, the Federal Transit Administration’s $389 million, plus $337.9 million from the county, and Florida’s commitment of $200 million, Miami-Dade secured the funding needed to build the project.

Wilson, a senior member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said the Federal Transit Administration’s announcement is a game-changer for Miami-Dade County and brings the community much closer to seeing the Northeast Corridor become a reality.

Wilson represents areas where the Northeast Corridor would be constructed, including North Miami, Aventura and Little Haiti.

She has been a consistent advocate for the Northeast Corridor and has previously requested $454 million in funds from the federal government for the Northeast Corridor Rapid Transit Project. She was also one of five co-sponsors of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, which helped allow the Northeast Corridor funding.

"Traffic and transit options have been issues across Miami-Dade County for as long as I can remember, especially in areas like Wynwood, Aventura, Little Haiti, and North Miami," Wilson said.

"I’m proud to have worked with our county officials and federal partners at the Federal Transit Administration to help secure these funds for MiamiDade County. Constructing the Northeast Corridor will help reduce traffic, provide more transportation options, create jobs, contribute to our efforts to combat the climate crisis, and allow Miami-Dade County to become the modern, transit-connected community it deserves to be. "While more work lies ahead, today marks a large milestone in our efforts to construct the Northeast Corridor.”

The project is also a plus for the Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit (SMART) program, a massive upgrade to the rapid bus line connecting South Dade to Dadeland.

It’s not the rail service some county residents wanted, but the project will help commuters avoid traffic congestion along U.S. 1.

The county hopes to complete that project by 2025.

"Our economic growth and resilience as a region will depend on getting key infrastructure like transportation right," Wilson said. "Fighting congestion is a bipartisan initiative because we’re all stuck in traffic. We’ll need our cities, county, state and federal partners working together with businesses and communities to get where we’re going faster."

Local officials including Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and County Commissioner Oliver Gilbert III and Eileen Higgins spearheaded efforts to build both commuter projects.

They didn’t want to place the burden on taxpayers and instead sought partnerships, investors and other funding resources that took years to secure.

“We are grateful to the Biden-Harris administration and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg for continuing to support this critical project and our SMART Program to offer more affordable transportation options to our community,” said Levine Cava. “The Northeast Corridor and its local commuter rail service will help reduce traffic and give many residents, especially in underserved areas, more options to access jobs, education and opportunities.

"This service will be a gamechanger for those who need it most as we continue building the future of transit in Miami-Dade.”

Gilbert said the federal funding puts the county in a good position to finally build the Northeast Corridor Rapid Transit Project.

“This announcement by the FTA marks a commitment to a more accessible, resilient, and inclusive MiamiDade County," Gilbert said. "Whether it’s jobs, housing, or educational opportunities, the federal support for the Northeast Corridor will bring transformative change and make it easier for people to connect with what matters most in their lives.”

Higgins, who represents the area where the project will be constructed, said she went to Washington on many occasions to advocate for the funding. “The Federal Transit Administration’s $389 million investment in MiamiDade’s Northeast Corridor is a monumental step forward in our efforts to create a modern, connected transit system that serves our residents and visitors," said Higgins. “This funding is a testament to our community’s vision and the commitment from leaders like Congresswoman Federica Wilson to make that vision a reality. With stops in places like Wynwood, Little Haiti, and at the FIU Biscayne Bay campus, expanding and improving our transit options means less traffic congestion, a cleaner environment, and enhanced access to jobs, healthcare, and educational opportunities for thousands."

Cathy Dos Santos, Executive Director of Transit Alliance Miami, said in 2024, 80 percent of Miami-Dade voters gave elected officials a mandate to expand mass rapid transit, the Northeast Corridor delivers.

"This rail project is a giant step towards a robust, competitive transit network that secures the economic well-being of Miami-Dade," she said. "For our workers and families, this commuter rail will be a completely new way of moving that’s safe, fast, affordable, and enjoyable, compared to the traffic nightmare of the I-95. We commend Congresswoman Frederica Wilson and Commissioner Higgins for fighting to secure this funding and Miami-Dade’s future."

No congressional approval is needed on a project-specific level, but Congress will have to approve funds for all Capital Investment Grants projects as part of the annual congressional appropriations process.