Operation 305, an initiative to include local small businesses in the Port of Miami Access Tunnel project, will kick off with a Contractor & Supplier Expo slated for 7:30 to 10 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 1, at the Port of Miami’s Terminal J. 

Miami Access Tunnel, a private concessionaire selected by the state to build and maintain the tunnel, will host the expo. Contractors will be able to learn about business opportunities with the tunnel project.  The registration fee is $25 per person in advance and $35 on the day of the event which is open to all small and mid-size business owners.

Participants may pre-register online at www. TunnelOperation305.com. The deadline is Friday, Nov. 26. 

“The tunnel is one of the largest infrastructure projects ever undertaken by Miami-Dade County,” said Christopher Hodgkins, vice president of the Miami Access Tunnel Team. “Hosting this expo is the first step in ensuring we boost the local economy and create jobs right in our own backyard.”

The tunnel is a public/private partnership that includes the Florida Department of Transportation, Miami-Dade County, the city of Miami and Miami Access Tunnel, a private consortium including Paris-based equity partner Meridiam Infrastructure Fund and construction partner Bouygues Civil Works of Florida.

The Port of Miami is Miami-Dade County’s second leading economic generator, providing 81,800 jobs, $5 billion in wages and $12 billion in economic output, according to a 2006 study conducted by the Washington Economic Group.

Nearly 5,500 large trucks and buses travel to and from the Port of Miami through downtown streets each week day. Existing truck and bus routes restrict the port’s ability to grow, drive up costs, present safety hazards, and limit redevelopment in the northern portion of Miami’s Central Business District, according to planners.

“The finished tunnel will be a major step toward preparing our port for the future,” said Hodgkins.  “As the port prepares for growth, it is important increasing numbers of locally-owned and -operated firms join the more than 50 businesses already given contracts so we all see financial growth together.”

The tunnel will provide direct connection among the seaport, Interstate 395 and Interstate 95, create an alternative to the port’s existing bridge, improve traffic safety in downtown Miami by removing cargo trucks from already congested streets and facilitate ongoing and future development plans in and around downtown.

To register for the Contractor & Supplier Expo or for more information on Operation 305, visit TunnelOperation305.com.


If You Go

WHAT: Operation 305 – Contractor & Supplier Expo

WHEN: 7:30-10 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 1

WHERE: Port of Miami, Terminal J, 1120 Caribbean Way, downtown Miami.
Photo ID required to enter

COST: $25 in advance, $35 at the door. Registration deadline is Friday, Nov. 26.

CONTACT: Matthew Beatty, 305-948-8063 ext. 209.