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Metrorail (Miami)
Encyclopedia
The Miami Metrorail, officially Metrorail and commonly called the Metro, is the heavy rail rapid transit
system of Miami, Florida
, United States
, serving the Miami metropolitan area
. The Metro is operated by Miami-Dade Transit
, a departmental agency of Miami-Dade County
. Opened in 1984, it is Florida's only rapid transit metro system, and is currently composed of 22.4 miles (36 km) line with 22 stations.
The Metro serves the urban core
of Miami, connecting the central business district
s of Downtown Miami
, Brickell
and the Civic Center
with the Greater Miami neighborhoods of Hialeah
and Medley
to the northwest, and to Coconut Grove, Coral Gables
, South Miami
, ending at Dadeland
in suburban Kendall
. The Metro connects to the Metromover
in Downtown, which provides metro service to the entirety of Downtown. The Metro has seen increased ridership growth over the years, with an average daily ridership of 65,300 passengers, (96,000, including Metromover
).
In 2012, the Metro will open its 23rd station, Miami Central Station
, at Miami International Airport
(MIA), opening a 16-station re-branded Orange Line between the MIA and Dadeland South
stations. The new line is expected to increase ridership significantly, adding millions of riders per year, and allowing residents and visitors alike direct access from the MIA to Downtown Miami
, and greater connectivity between various modes of transit throughout Miami-Dade County. Central Station will provide direct service to Amtrak
inter-city rail
services, Tri-Rail
commuter rail, Greyhound Lines
intercity bus, and the Rental Car Center
. Miami Central Station is expected to attract 150,000 daily commuters and travellers.
The Metro is one of only two rapid transit systems in the Southeastern United States
(the other system being MARTA
in Atlanta).
; having experienced a prolonged post-World War II
population boom, metropolitan Dade County's permanent population rose by 35% to nearly 1.3 million residents within a decade, among the fastest population growth rates in the United States. Within a year of the study, county residents approved a $132.5 million ($ million, adjusted for current inflation) bond
dedicated to transit, with additional funding approved by the Florida Legislature
for transit which, up until that time, operated solely on fare revenue. In 1976, with preliminary engineering completed for the system, the Federal Transit Administration
(FTA, then, the Urban Mass Transit Administration) committed 80% of the costs for the first stage of rapid transit system, with the county and state incurring the remaining cost.
In April 1979, the Interstate Commerce Commission
ratified an agreement between the Florida East Coast Railway
(FEC) and Dade County to transfer the then-FEC right-of-way along US 1
to Miami-Dade Transit, then named the Metro Transit Agency (MTA), with groundbreaking
for the system the county commission
voted to be named "Metrorail" taking place at the site of what would become University Station in June. Construction began in December 1980 with placing of a double-tee guideway girder
near the University of Miami
. In June 1983, the first segment of Metrorail from Dadeland South to Overtown (now "Historic Overtown/Lyric Theatre
") was completed with the construction of the Miami River
bridge, with free first-day service from Pinecrest
to Overtown commencing May 20, 1984 with over 125,000 riders.
Additional segments opened subsequently in December 1984 between Earlington Heights and Okeechobee stations in May 1985. In March 1989, temporary station was opened to provide a connection to the newly-opened Tri-Rail
commuter rail line, with the station officially opening in June of that year. Preliminary engineering for a rapid transit extension to the Palmetto Expressway began in 1996 with Palmetto station opening in May 2003. Revenues expected for 2006 were $17.15 million. Expenses budgeted for 2006 were $41.29 million. These historic figures became the last the Miami Dade Transit Authority ever disclosed, and in fact are the figures still displayed in today's Miami-Dade Transit webpage as of July 2011.
Construction on Metrorail's 23rd station at the Miami Central Station
at Miami International Airport
began in May 2009, with service projected to begin in late 2011/early 2012.
Metrorail runs from the northwest in Medley
through Hialeah
, into the city of Miami
, the downtown area, through Coral Gables
and South Miami
, and ending in southwest Miami-Dade at Dadeland Mall. There are 22 accessible
Metrorail stations, one about every 1.25 miles (or 1.9 kilometers). Metrorail connects to the Metromover
system at Government Center and Brickell
stations and to South Florida
's Tri-Rail
suburban system at the Tri-Rail Station
(see below).
Trains are stored at the Palmetto Yard just west of Okeechobee Station. The yard houses 136 cars built by the Budd Company
; Miami-Dade's subway cars were among the last orders Budd filled before shuttering its railcar manufacturing business. The cars are identical to those used on the Baltimore Metro (save for the modifications made to Baltimore's cars during their refurbishment in 2005), as the two systems were built at the same time, and the two agencies were able to save money by sharing a single order.
The cars are operated in 2-car units, and joined up to form 6-car trains, which is the normal train length. For the 10-minute interval peak time service (2011 schedule), 12 such trains are required, the journey takes 50 minutes from end to end, with a 10 minute standing time at each end. Therefore 72 cars are required for the daily service. It will be seen that the 136 cars built for the system were therefore a considerable overprovision. For the 15-minute interval weekday daytime service, 7 trains are required, and 5 trains are thus stored after each rush period. Only four trains are used to provide the weekday evening 30-minute service. All trains are scheduled to run from end to end of the route.
Along the Metrorail system, the tracks are mostly elevated. Three sections are not: under I-95 between Vizcaya and Brickell stations, under I-95 just east of Culmer station, and from just east of the Palmetto Expressway heading west into the Palmetto station and tail track. In each of these cases, the tracks ride on ground level for a brief amount of time.
The platform at each Metrorail station is long enough to accommodate six-car-long trains; the Dadeland North, Earlington Heights, and Government Center station platforms are long enough to accommodate eight-car-long trains. In-service trains are usually either four or six cars long; in the evening it is not uncommon for Miami-Dade Transit to link two out-of-service trains together before returning them to Palmetto Yard.
costs $100 and $50 for reduced fare. The monthly EASY Cards are sold at over 50 sales outlets. Reduced fares are available only to Medicare
recipients, people with disabilities
, and Miami-Dade students in grades 1-12. Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs)
that sell EASY Cards and EASY Tickets are found in all rail stations. All Miami-Dade senior citizen
s aged 65 years and older and with Social Security
benefits, and Veteran
s residing in Miami-Dade and earning less than $22,000 annually ride free with the reduced fare monthly EASY Card. All of the stations except the five in the downtown area have dedicated parking available.
On July 16, 2008, Miami-Dade Transit announced that it would be replacing all fare collection methods with the EASY Card
system by late 2009. The system replaces the old cash-/token-based system with one that automatically deducts fares at Metrorail fare gates from a reloadable card. The final station to start fare gate installation was Government Center on August 2, 2009. Since the system launch on October 1, 2009, all passengers utilizing Metrorail must use either an EASY Card or EASY Ticket to enter stations.
Metrorail runs from 5 a.m. until midnight
seven days a week. Trains arrive every 8 minutes during weekday rush hour
s, every 15 minutes at midday
, and every 15–30 minutes after 6 p.m. until midnight. Weekend
service runs every 30 minutes until midnight. For a brief period from 2003 to April 2004 there was 24-hour service; between midnight and 5 a.m., trains arrived every 60 minutes.
A limited-stop
bus route, Route 500 Midnight Owl, operates hourly between 12:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. trip between Dadeland South and Government Center Metrorail stations. This bus service replaces the 24-hour Metrorail service cancelled due to a lack of ridership.
Construction on the first segment of the Orange Line, Metrorail's AirportLink began in June 2009; service to Miami International Airport
is scheduled to begin in spring 2012
.
The Miami-Dade County Government is working with the Citizens Independent Transportation Trust to receive money from the half-penny sur-tax approved by voters in 2002 in order to purchase new Metrorail cars.
Metrorail currently operates 22 stations, and combined with the Metromover
in Downtown Miami
and Brickell
, the entire Metro system operates 44 stations. Metrorail stations are located at about a mile apart along the line, and Metromover stations are located at approximately every two blocks in the greater Downtown
area.
in the CBD
of Downtown
; additional station, passenger, and transfer information available on respective Wikipedia pages:
Monthly ridership averages
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
system of Miami, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, serving the Miami metropolitan area
South Florida metropolitan area
The South Florida metropolitan area, also known as the Miami metropolitan area, and designated the Miami–Fort Lauderdale–Pompano Beach, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area by the U.S...
. The Metro is operated by Miami-Dade Transit
Miami-Dade Transit
Miami-Dade Transit is the primary public transit authority of Miami, Florida, United States and the greater Miami-Dade County area. It is the largest transit system in Florida and the 12th-largest transit system in the United States....
, a departmental agency of Miami-Dade County
Miami-Dade County, Florida
Miami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the state of Florida. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 2,496,435, making it the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States...
. Opened in 1984, it is Florida's only rapid transit metro system, and is currently composed of 22.4 miles (36 km) line with 22 stations.
The Metro serves the urban core
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
of Miami, connecting the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
s of Downtown Miami
Downtown Miami
Downtown Miami is an urban residential neighborhood, and the central business district of Miami, Miami-Dade County, and South Florida in the United States...
, Brickell
Brickell
Brickell is an urban neighborhood in Miami, Florida, United States. A neighborhood of greater Downtown Miami, Brickell is Miami and South Florida's major financial district.-Background:...
and the Civic Center
Civic Center (Miami)
Civic Center is a neighborhood in the city of Miami, Florida USA. The Civic Center is bound roughly by Northwest 20th Street and 14th Avenue to the northwest, the Dolphin Expressway and the Miami River to the south and west, and the Midtown Interchange and I-95 to the east.The Civic Center has the...
with the Greater Miami neighborhoods of Hialeah
Hialeah, Florida
Hialeah is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 226,419. As of 2009, the population estimate by the U. S...
and Medley
Medley, Florida
Medley is a town in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The community was named after its founder, Sylvester Medley. The population was 1,098 at the 2000 census. As of 2005, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 1,059...
to the northwest, and to Coconut Grove, Coral Gables
Coral Gables, Florida
Coral Gables is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, southwest of Downtown Miami, in the United States. The city is home to the University of Miami....
, South Miami
South Miami, Florida
South Miami is a Miami suburban city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,741 at the 2000 census and as of 2007, according to the U.S...
, ending at Dadeland
Dadeland, Florida
Dadeland is an urban neighborhood in the metropolitan Miami suburb of Kendall, Florida, United States.-History:Development in the-then desolate area began in earnest in 1960 with the completion of Palmetto Expressway and Dadeland Mall, the largest shopping mall in Greater Miami at the time...
in suburban Kendall
Kendall, Florida
Kendall is a suburban neighborhood of metropolitan Miami, Florida, United States. As of the 2000 census, the area had a total population of 75,226....
. The Metro connects to the Metromover
Metromover
The Miami Metromover, officially Metromover, is a free rapid transit automated people mover train system operated by Miami-Dade Transit in Miami, Florida, United States. Metromover serves Downtown Miami, Brickell, Park West and Omni neighborhoods. Metromover connects directly with Metrorail at...
in Downtown, which provides metro service to the entirety of Downtown. The Metro has seen increased ridership growth over the years, with an average daily ridership of 65,300 passengers, (96,000, including Metromover
Metromover
The Miami Metromover, officially Metromover, is a free rapid transit automated people mover train system operated by Miami-Dade Transit in Miami, Florida, United States. Metromover serves Downtown Miami, Brickell, Park West and Omni neighborhoods. Metromover connects directly with Metrorail at...
).
In 2012, the Metro will open its 23rd station, Miami Central Station
Miami Central Station
Miami Central Station, also called Miami Airport Station, is a rapid transit, commuter rail, intercity rail, and intercity bus union station currently under construction in Miami, Florida, United States, in the Grapeland Heights neighborhood....
, at Miami International Airport
Miami International Airport
Miami International Airport , also known as MIA and historically Wilcox Field, is the primary airport serving the South Florida area...
(MIA), opening a 16-station re-branded Orange Line between the MIA and Dadeland South
Dadeland South (Metrorail station)
Dadeland South is a Metrorail transfer station in the Miami suburb of Kendall, Florida at Dadeland. It is the southern terminus of the metro system....
stations. The new line is expected to increase ridership significantly, adding millions of riders per year, and allowing residents and visitors alike direct access from the MIA to Downtown Miami
Downtown Miami
Downtown Miami is an urban residential neighborhood, and the central business district of Miami, Miami-Dade County, and South Florida in the United States...
, and greater connectivity between various modes of transit throughout Miami-Dade County. Central Station will provide direct service to Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
inter-city rail
Inter-city rail
Inter-city rail services are express passenger train services that cover longer distances than commuter or regional trains.There is no precise definition of inter-city rail. Its meaning may vary from country to country...
services, Tri-Rail
Tri-Rail
Tri-Rail is a commuter rail line linking Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach, Florida, United States. It is run by the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority. The system has 18 stations along the South Florida coast...
commuter rail, Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
intercity bus, and the Rental Car Center
Miami Intermodal Center
For the rail station next to the MIC, see Miami Central StationMiami Intermodal Center is a transportation hub under construction by the Florida Department of Transportation in Miami, Florida, in the United States. It will offer centralized transfer between Metrorail, Amtrak, Tri-Rail, buses,...
. Miami Central Station is expected to attract 150,000 daily commuters and travellers.
The Metro is one of only two rapid transit systems in the Southeastern United States
Southeastern United States
The Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America....
(the other system being MARTA
Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority
The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority or MARTA is the principal rapid-transit system in the Atlanta metropolitan area and the ninth-largest in the United States. Formed in 1971 as strictly a bus system, MARTA operates a network of bus routes linked to a rapid transit system consisting...
in Atlanta).
History
In 1971, a study completed by the Miami Urban Area Transportation Study (MUATS) recommended the construction for a rapid transit system for the countyMiami-Dade County, Florida
Miami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the state of Florida. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 2,496,435, making it the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States...
; having experienced a prolonged post-World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
population boom, metropolitan Dade County's permanent population rose by 35% to nearly 1.3 million residents within a decade, among the fastest population growth rates in the United States. Within a year of the study, county residents approved a $132.5 million ($ million, adjusted for current inflation) bond
Municipal bond
A municipal bond is a bond issued by a city or other local government, or their agencies. Potential issuers of municipal bonds includes cities, counties, redevelopment agencies, special-purpose districts, school districts, public utility districts, publicly owned airports and seaports, and any...
dedicated to transit, with additional funding approved by the Florida Legislature
Florida Legislature
The Florida State Legislature is the term often used to refer to the two houses that act as the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. The Florida Constitution states that "The legislative power of the state shall be vested in a legislature of the State of Florida," composed of a Senate...
for transit which, up until that time, operated solely on fare revenue. In 1976, with preliminary engineering completed for the system, the Federal Transit Administration
Federal Transit Administration
The Federal Transit Administration is an agency within the United States Department of Transportation that provides financial and technical assistance to local public transit systems. The FTA is one of ten modal administrations within the DOT...
(FTA, then, the Urban Mass Transit Administration) committed 80% of the costs for the first stage of rapid transit system, with the county and state incurring the remaining cost.
In April 1979, the Interstate Commerce Commission
Interstate Commerce Commission
The Interstate Commerce Commission was a regulatory body in the United States created by the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. The agency's original purpose was to regulate railroads to ensure fair rates, to eliminate rate discrimination, and to regulate other aspects of common carriers, including...
ratified an agreement between the Florida East Coast Railway
Florida East Coast Railway
The Florida East Coast Railway is a Class II railroad operating in the U.S. state of Florida; in the past, it has been a Class I railroad.Built primarily in the last quarter of the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th century, the FEC was a project of Standard Oil principal Henry Morrison...
(FEC) and Dade County to transfer the then-FEC right-of-way along US 1
U.S. Route 1 in Florida
U.S. Route 1 in Florida runs along the state's east coast from Key West to its crossing of the St. Marys River into Georgia north of Boulogne, and south of Folkston. US 1 was designated through Florida when the U.S. Highway System was established in 1926.US 1 runs in the state of Florida, and...
to Miami-Dade Transit, then named the Metro Transit Agency (MTA), with groundbreaking
Groundbreaking
Groundbreaking, also known as cutting, sod-cutting, turning the first sod or a sod-turning ceremony, is a traditional ceremony in many cultures that celebrates the first day of construction for a building or other project. Such ceremonies are often attended by dignitaries such as politicians and...
for the system the county commission
County commission
A county commission is a group of elected officials charged with administering the county government in local government in some states of the United States. County commissions are usually made up of three or more individuals...
voted to be named "Metrorail" taking place at the site of what would become University Station in June. Construction began in December 1980 with placing of a double-tee guideway girder
Girder
A girder is a support beam used in construction. Girders often have an I-beam cross section for strength, but may also have a box shape, Z shape or other forms. Girder is the term used to denote the main horizontal support of a structure which supports smaller beams...
near the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
. In June 1983, the first segment of Metrorail from Dadeland South to Overtown (now "Historic Overtown/Lyric Theatre
Lyric Theater (Miami, Florida)
The Lyric Theater is a historic theater in Miami, Florida. It is located at 819 Northwest Second Avenue. On January 4, 1989, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.-History:...
") was completed with the construction of the Miami River
Miami River (Florida)
The Miami River is a river in the United States state of Florida that drains out of the Everglades and runs through the Downtown and the city of Miami. The long river flows from the terminus of the Miami Canal at Miami International Airport to Biscayne Bay...
bridge, with free first-day service from Pinecrest
Pinecrest, Florida
Pinecrest is a suburban village in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States of America. The population was 19,055 as of the census of 2000. Pinecrest is governed by a five-member Village Council and operates under the Council-Manager form of government....
to Overtown commencing May 20, 1984 with over 125,000 riders.
Additional segments opened subsequently in December 1984 between Earlington Heights and Okeechobee stations in May 1985. In March 1989, temporary station was opened to provide a connection to the newly-opened Tri-Rail
Tri-Rail
Tri-Rail is a commuter rail line linking Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach, Florida, United States. It is run by the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority. The system has 18 stations along the South Florida coast...
commuter rail line, with the station officially opening in June of that year. Preliminary engineering for a rapid transit extension to the Palmetto Expressway began in 1996 with Palmetto station opening in May 2003. Revenues expected for 2006 were $17.15 million. Expenses budgeted for 2006 were $41.29 million. These historic figures became the last the Miami Dade Transit Authority ever disclosed, and in fact are the figures still displayed in today's Miami-Dade Transit webpage as of July 2011.
Construction on Metrorail's 23rd station at the Miami Central Station
Miami Central Station
Miami Central Station, also called Miami Airport Station, is a rapid transit, commuter rail, intercity rail, and intercity bus union station currently under construction in Miami, Florida, United States, in the Grapeland Heights neighborhood....
at Miami International Airport
Miami International Airport
Miami International Airport , also known as MIA and historically Wilcox Field, is the primary airport serving the South Florida area...
began in May 2009, with service projected to begin in late 2011/early 2012.
Train and track information
Medley, Florida
Medley is a town in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The community was named after its founder, Sylvester Medley. The population was 1,098 at the 2000 census. As of 2005, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 1,059...
through Hialeah
Hialeah, Florida
Hialeah is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 226,419. As of 2009, the population estimate by the U. S...
, into the city of Miami
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, the downtown area, through Coral Gables
Coral Gables, Florida
Coral Gables is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, southwest of Downtown Miami, in the United States. The city is home to the University of Miami....
and South Miami
South Miami, Florida
South Miami is a Miami suburban city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,741 at the 2000 census and as of 2007, according to the U.S...
, and ending in southwest Miami-Dade at Dadeland Mall. There are 22 accessible
Accessibility
Accessibility is a general term used to describe the degree to which a product, device, service, or environment is available to as many people as possible. Accessibility can be viewed as the "ability to access" and benefit from some system or entity...
Metrorail stations, one about every 1.25 miles (or 1.9 kilometers). Metrorail connects to the Metromover
Metromover
The Miami Metromover, officially Metromover, is a free rapid transit automated people mover train system operated by Miami-Dade Transit in Miami, Florida, United States. Metromover serves Downtown Miami, Brickell, Park West and Omni neighborhoods. Metromover connects directly with Metrorail at...
system at Government Center and Brickell
Brickell (changeover station)
Brickell is a Metrorail and Metromover transfer station on the western end of the Brickell neighborhood of Downtown, Miami, Florida.The station is located near the intersection of Southwest First Avenue and 10th Street...
stations and to South Florida
South Florida metropolitan area
The South Florida metropolitan area, also known as the Miami metropolitan area, and designated the Miami–Fort Lauderdale–Pompano Beach, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area by the U.S...
's Tri-Rail
Tri-Rail
Tri-Rail is a commuter rail line linking Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach, Florida, United States. It is run by the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority. The system has 18 stations along the South Florida coast...
suburban system at the Tri-Rail Station
Tri-Rail and Metrorail transfer station
Tri-Rail and Metrorail Transfer Station is a Metrorail and Tri-Rail interchange station in Hialeah, Florida, in metropolitan Miami.This station is located near the intersection of East 25th Street and 11th Avenue, officially opening to service March 6, 1989. The station was built as a connection...
(see below).
Trains are stored at the Palmetto Yard just west of Okeechobee Station. The yard houses 136 cars built by the Budd Company
Budd Company
The Budd Company is a metal fabricator and major supplier of body components to the automobile industry, and was formerly a manufacturer of stainless steel passenger rail cars during the 20th century....
; Miami-Dade's subway cars were among the last orders Budd filled before shuttering its railcar manufacturing business. The cars are identical to those used on the Baltimore Metro (save for the modifications made to Baltimore's cars during their refurbishment in 2005), as the two systems were built at the same time, and the two agencies were able to save money by sharing a single order.
The cars are operated in 2-car units, and joined up to form 6-car trains, which is the normal train length. For the 10-minute interval peak time service (2011 schedule), 12 such trains are required, the journey takes 50 minutes from end to end, with a 10 minute standing time at each end. Therefore 72 cars are required for the daily service. It will be seen that the 136 cars built for the system were therefore a considerable overprovision. For the 15-minute interval weekday daytime service, 7 trains are required, and 5 trains are thus stored after each rush period. Only four trains are used to provide the weekday evening 30-minute service. All trains are scheduled to run from end to end of the route.
Along the Metrorail system, the tracks are mostly elevated. Three sections are not: under I-95 between Vizcaya and Brickell stations, under I-95 just east of Culmer station, and from just east of the Palmetto Expressway heading west into the Palmetto station and tail track. In each of these cases, the tracks ride on ground level for a brief amount of time.
The platform at each Metrorail station is long enough to accommodate six-car-long trains; the Dadeland North, Earlington Heights, and Government Center station platforms are long enough to accommodate eight-car-long trains. In-service trains are usually either four or six cars long; in the evening it is not uncommon for Miami-Dade Transit to link two out-of-service trains together before returning them to Palmetto Yard.
Fares and service
The current standard fare on Metrorail is $2 and reduced fare is $1. A standard monthly passSeason ticket
A season ticket is a ticket that grants privileges over a defined period of time.-Sport:In sport, a season ticket grants the holder access to all regular-season home games for one season without additional charges. The ticket usually offers a discounted price over purchasing a ticket for each of...
costs $100 and $50 for reduced fare. The monthly EASY Cards are sold at over 50 sales outlets. Reduced fares are available only to Medicare
Medicare (United States)
Medicare is a social insurance program administered by the United States government, providing health insurance coverage to people who are aged 65 and over; to those who are under 65 and are permanently physically disabled or who have a congenital physical disability; or to those who meet other...
recipients, people with disabilities
Disability
A disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these.Many people would rather be referred to as a person with a disability instead of handicapped...
, and Miami-Dade students in grades 1-12. Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs)
Ticket machine
A ticket machine, also known as a ticket vending machine , is a vending machine that produces tickets. For instance, ticket machines dispense train tickets at railway stations and tram tickets at some tram stops and in some trams...
that sell EASY Cards and EASY Tickets are found in all rail stations. All Miami-Dade senior citizen
Senior citizen
Senior citizen is a common polite designation for an elderly person in both UK and US English, and it implies or means that the person is retired. This in turn implies or in fact means that the person is over the retirement age, which varies according to country. Synonyms include pensioner in UK...
s aged 65 years and older and with Social Security
Social Security (United States)
In the United States, Social Security refers to the federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program.The original Social Security Act and the current version of the Act, as amended encompass several social welfare and social insurance programs...
benefits, and Veteran
Veteran
A veteran is a person who has had long service or experience in a particular occupation or field; " A veteran of ..."...
s residing in Miami-Dade and earning less than $22,000 annually ride free with the reduced fare monthly EASY Card. All of the stations except the five in the downtown area have dedicated parking available.
On July 16, 2008, Miami-Dade Transit announced that it would be replacing all fare collection methods with the EASY Card
EASY Card (South Florida)
The EASY Card system is a series of linked contactless smartcard systems used by Miami-Dade Transit and South Florida Regional Transportation Authority in the South Florida, Florida, United States area. The EASY Card allows for electronic payment on multiple public transport systems including Miami...
system by late 2009. The system replaces the old cash-/token-based system with one that automatically deducts fares at Metrorail fare gates from a reloadable card. The final station to start fare gate installation was Government Center on August 2, 2009. Since the system launch on October 1, 2009, all passengers utilizing Metrorail must use either an EASY Card or EASY Ticket to enter stations.
Metrorail runs from 5 a.m. until midnight
Midnight
Midnight is the transition time period from one day to the next: the moment when the date changes. In the Roman time system, midnight was halfway between sunset and sunrise, varying according to the seasons....
seven days a week. Trains arrive every 8 minutes during weekday rush hour
Rush hour
A rush hour or peak hour is a part of the day during which traffic congestion on roads and crowding on public transport is at its highest. Normally, this happens twice a day—once in the morning and once in the evening, the times during when the most people commute...
s, every 15 minutes at midday
Noon
Noon is usually defined as 12 o'clock in the daytime. The word noon is also used informally to mean midday regarding the location of the sun not the middle of a persons day. Although this is a time around the middle of the day when people in many countries take a lunch break...
, and every 15–30 minutes after 6 p.m. until midnight. Weekend
Workweek
The workweek and weekend are those complementary parts of the week devoted to labour and rest respectively. The legal working week , or workweek , is the part of the seven-day week devoted to labor. In most Western countries it is Monday to Friday. The weekend comprises the two traditionally...
service runs every 30 minutes until midnight. For a brief period from 2003 to April 2004 there was 24-hour service; between midnight and 5 a.m., trains arrived every 60 minutes.
A limited-stop
Limited-stop
In public transport, a limited-stop bus, tram or train service is a service that operates along the same route as a local bus service, but omits certain stops in order to offer a faster trip between the places served. The term is normally used on routes with a mixture of fast and slow services...
bus route, Route 500 Midnight Owl, operates hourly between 12:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. trip between Dadeland South and Government Center Metrorail stations. This bus service replaces the 24-hour Metrorail service cancelled due to a lack of ridership.
Construction on the first segment of the Orange Line, Metrorail's AirportLink began in June 2009; service to Miami International Airport
Miami International Airport
Miami International Airport , also known as MIA and historically Wilcox Field, is the primary airport serving the South Florida area...
is scheduled to begin in spring 2012
2012 in rail transport
- Events : 14 January – Construction is expected to be completed on the Marina Bay Extension of the Circle MRT Line. 31 January – First Group/Keolis' First TransPennine Express franchise, First TransPennine Express, expires 4 February – National Express's East Anglia franchise expires 31 March –...
.
The Miami-Dade County Government is working with the Citizens Independent Transportation Trust to receive money from the half-penny sur-tax approved by voters in 2002 in order to purchase new Metrorail cars.
Stations
Metromover
The Miami Metromover, officially Metromover, is a free rapid transit automated people mover train system operated by Miami-Dade Transit in Miami, Florida, United States. Metromover serves Downtown Miami, Brickell, Park West and Omni neighborhoods. Metromover connects directly with Metrorail at...
in Downtown Miami
Downtown Miami
Downtown Miami is an urban residential neighborhood, and the central business district of Miami, Miami-Dade County, and South Florida in the United States...
and Brickell
Brickell
Brickell is an urban neighborhood in Miami, Florida, United States. A neighborhood of greater Downtown Miami, Brickell is Miami and South Florida's major financial district.-Background:...
, the entire Metro system operates 44 stations. Metrorail stations are located at about a mile apart along the line, and Metromover stations are located at approximately every two blocks in the greater Downtown
Downtown Miami
Downtown Miami is an urban residential neighborhood, and the central business district of Miami, Miami-Dade County, and South Florida in the United States...
area.
Current stations
Travel times provided are approximate for travel to and from Government CenterStephen P. Clark Government Center
The Stephen P. Clark Government Center, known also as Government Center, Miami-Dade Center, or County Hall, is a skyscraper in the Government Center district of Downtown Miami, Florida, United States. It is the headquarters building of the Miami-Dade County government. Many county offices are...
in the CBD
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
of Downtown
Downtown Miami
Downtown Miami is an urban residential neighborhood, and the central business district of Miami, Miami-Dade County, and South Florida in the United States...
; additional station, passenger, and transfer information available on respective Wikipedia pages:
| Number | Station | Lines | Time to Downtown Downtown Miami Downtown Miami is an urban residential neighborhood, and the central business district of Miami, Miami-Dade County, and South Florida in the United States... | Opened | Average weekday ridership (02/2011) | Connections | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Palmetto Palmetto (Metrorail station) Palmetto is a Metrorail station in Miami, Florida, near the town of Medley. It is the current northern terminus of the Metrorail system.This station is located near the intersection of Northwest 77th Street and 79 Avenue, opening to service May 30, 2003... |
 |
31 min | May 30, 2003 | 1,169 | Metrobus: 87 | |
| 2 | Okeechobee Okeechobee (Metrorail station) Okeechobee is a Metrorail station in Hialeah, Florida.This station located near the intersection of West 20th Street and Okeechobee Road , opening to passenger service May 19, 1985... |
|
26 min | May 19, 1985 | 1,414 | Metrobus: 73 | |
| 3 | Hialeah Hialeah (Metrorail station) Hialeah is a Metrorail station in Hialeah, Florida.This station is located at the intersection of East First Avenue and 21st Street , just south of Hialeah Park Race Track... |
|
23 min | May 19, 1985 | 1,710 | Metrobus: 29, 37, 54, L | |
| 4 | Tri-Rail Tri-Rail and Metrorail transfer station Tri-Rail and Metrorail Transfer Station is a Metrorail and Tri-Rail interchange station in Hialeah, Florida, in metropolitan Miami.This station is located near the intersection of East 25th Street and 11th Avenue, officially opening to service March 6, 1989. The station was built as a connection... |
21 min | June 5, 1989 | 1,578 | Tri-Rail Tri-Rail Tri-Rail is a commuter rail line linking Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach, Florida, United States. It is run by the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority. The system has 18 stations along the South Florida coast... Metrobus: 42, L |
||
| 5 | Northside Northside (Metrorail station) Northside is a Metrorail station in the West Little River neighborhood of Miami, Florida.This station is located near the intersection of Northwest 79th Street and 31st Avenue, opening to service May 19, 1985.-Places of interest:... |
|
19 min | May 18, 1985 | 1,804 | Metrobus: 12, 21, 32, 79 79 St Max, L | |
| 6 | Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Plaza | 16 min | May 19, 1985 | 1,494 | Metrobus: 27, 62, 97 27 Ave Max | ||
| 7 | Brownsville Brownsville (Metrorail station) Brownsville is a Metrorail station in the Brownsville neighborhood of Miami, Florida.This station is located at the intersection of Northwest 27th Avenue and 52nd Street, opening to service May 19, 1985.-Places of interest:... |
|
14 min | May 19, 1985 | 891 | Metrobus: 27, 46 Liberty City Connection, 54, 254 Brownsville Connection | |
| 8 | Earlington Heights Earlington Heights (Metrorail station) Earlington Heights is a Metrorail station on the northern end of the Allapattah neighborhood of Miami, Florida.This station is located at the intersection of Northwest 21st Avenue and the Airport Expressway... |
|
11 min | December 17, 1984 | 1,574 | Metrobus: 17, 22, 95X, 150 Airport Flyer, 238 East-West Connection | |
| 9 | Allapattah Allapattah (Metrorail station) Allapattah is a Metrorail station in the Allapattah neighborhood of Miami, Florida.This station is located near the intersection of Northwest 12th Avenue and 36th Street . It was opened to service December 17, 1984.-Metrobus:... |
|
9 min | December 17, 1984 | 1,883 | Metrobus: 12, 21, 36, J, 246 Night OWL | |
| 10 | Santa Clara Santa Clara (Metrorail station) Santa Clara is a Metrorail station in the industrial district of the Civic Center neighborhood in Miami, Florida.This station is located near the intersection of Northwest 12th Avenue and 20th Street... |
|
7 min | December 17, 1984 | 747 | Metrobus: 12, 21, 32, M, 246 Night Owl | |
| 11 | Civic Center Civic Center (Metrorail station) Civic Center is a Metrorail station in the Civic Center Health District of Miami, Florida.This station is located at the intersection of Northwest 12th Avenue and 15th Street, opening to service December 17, 1984, and is one of the busiest Metrorail stations.-Places of interest:*Jackson Memorial... |
6 min | December 17, 1984 | 6,462 | Metrobus: 12, 32, 95X, M, 246 Night OWL | ||
| 12 | Culmer Culmer (Metrorail station) Culmer is a Metrorail station in Miami, Florida, just south of the Midtown Interchange.This station is located at the intersection of Northwest 11th Street and Seventh Avenue , opening to service December 17, 1984... |
4 min | December 17, 1984 | 1,315 | Metrobus: 77, 211 Overtown Circulator, 277 NW 7 Av Max | ||
| 13 | Historic Overtown/Lyric Theatre | 2 min | May 20, 1984 | 1,499 | Metrobus: 2, 7, 95X, 195 Dade-Broward Express, 211 Overtown Circulator, 243 Seaport Connection | ||
| 14 | Government Center | 0 min | May 20, 1984 | 11,513 | Metromover Metromover The Miami Metromover, officially Metromover, is a free rapid transit automated people mover train system operated by Miami-Dade Transit in Miami, Florida, United States. Metromover serves Downtown Miami, Brickell, Park West and Omni neighborhoods. Metromover connects directly with Metrorail at... : Downtown, Omni, and Brickell Loops Metrobus: 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 21, 24, 77, 95x, 51 Flagler MAX, 93 Biscayne MAX, 120 Beach MAX, 195 Dade-Broward Express, 207 Little Havana Connection, 208 Little Havana Connection, 246 Night OWL, 277 NW 7 Ave MAX, 500 Midnight OWL, C, S Broward County Transit: 95x |
||
| 15 | Brickell Brickell (changeover station) Brickell is a Metrorail and Metromover transfer station on the western end of the Brickell neighborhood of Downtown, Miami, Florida.The station is located near the intersection of Southwest First Avenue and 10th Street... |
1 min | May 20, 1984 | 4,106 | Metromover Metromover The Miami Metromover, officially Metromover, is a free rapid transit automated people mover train system operated by Miami-Dade Transit in Miami, Florida, United States. Metromover serves Downtown Miami, Brickell, Park West and Omni neighborhoods. Metromover connects directly with Metrorail at... : Brickell Loop Metrobus: 6, 8, 48, B, 248 Brickell Key Shuttle |
||
| 16 | Vizcaya Vizcaya (Metrorail station) Vizcaya is a Metrorail station in The Roads neighborhood of Miami, Florida.The station is located near the intersection of Southwest First Avenue and 32nd Road, at the southern junction of I-95 and South Dixie Highway and two blocks southeast of Coral Way... |
|
4 min | May 20, 1984 | 1,345 | Metrobus: 12, 17, 24 | |
| 17 | Coconut Grove Coconut Grove (Metrorail station) Coconut Grove is a Metrorail station on the western end of the Coconut Grove neighborhood of Miami, Florida.The station is located at the intersection of South Dixie Highway and West 27th Avenue , opening to service May 20, 1984.... |
|
7 min | May 20, 1984 | 1,836 | Metrobus: 6, 22, 27, 249 Coconut Grove Circulator, 500 Midnight OWL | |
| 18 | Douglas Road Douglas Road (Metrorail station) Douglas Road is a Metrorail station just southwest of Coconut Grove, in the Miami suburb of Coral Gables, Florida.The station is located at the intersection of South Douglas Road and South Dixie Highway , opening to service May 20, 1984.-Places of interest:*Coral Gables**Village of Merrick... |
|
9 min | May 20, 1984 | 4,086 | Metrobus: 37, 40, 42, 48, 136, 249 Coconut Grove Ciruclator, 500 Midnight OWL Coral Gables Trolley |
|
| 19 | University University (Metrorail station) University is a Metrorail station in the suburban city of Coral Gables, Florida at the University of Miami , seven miles southwest of Downtown Miami.... |
|
12 min | May 20, 1984 | 2,159 | Metrobus: 48, 56, 500 Midnight OWL | |
| 20 | South Miami South Miami (Metrorail station) South Miami is a Metrorail station in Miami, Florida, immediately east of South Miami city proper.This station is located at the intersection of South Dixie Highway and Sunset Drive , opening to service May 20, 1984.... |
|
14 min | May 20, 1984 | 3,345 | Metrobus: 37, 57, 72, 500 Midnight OWL | |
| 21 | Dadeland North Dadeland North (Metrorail station) Dadeland North is a Metrorail station in Miami, Florida in the suburb of Kendall.This station is located at the intersection of South Dixie Highway and Southwest 83rd Street on the Snapper Creek, near the Snapper Creek Expressway... |
|
16 min | May 20, 1984 | 6,388 | Metrobus: 52, 87, 88, 104, 204 Killian KAT, 272 Sunset KAT 288 Kendall KAT, 500 Midnight OWL |
|
| 22 | Dadeland South Dadeland South (Metrorail station) Dadeland South is a Metrorail transfer station in the Miami suburb of Kendall, Florida at Dadeland. It is the southern terminus of the metro system.... |
|
18 min | May 20, 1984 | 6,994 | South Miami-Dade Busway Metrobus: 31 Busway LOCAL, 34 Busway Flyer, 38 Busway MAX, 52, 73, 136, 252 Coral Reef MAX, 287 Saga Bay MAX, 500 Midnight OWL |
|
Future stations
| Number | Station | Lines | Time to Downtown Downtown Miami Downtown Miami is an urban residential neighborhood, and the central business district of Miami, Miami-Dade County, and South Florida in the United States... | Opened | Average weekday ridership | Connections | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | Miami Central Station Miami Central Station Miami Central Station, also called Miami Airport Station, is a rapid transit, commuter rail, intercity rail, and intercity bus union station currently under construction in Miami, Florida, United States, in the Grapeland Heights neighborhood.... |
|
~16 min |
April 30, 2012 |
N/A | Miami Intermodal Center Miami Intermodal Center For the rail station next to the MIC, see Miami Central StationMiami Intermodal Center is a transportation hub under construction by the Florida Department of Transportation in Miami, Florida, in the United States. It will offer centralized transfer between Metrorail, Amtrak, Tri-Rail, buses,... : Rental Car Center Amtrak Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union... : Silver Meteor Silver Meteor The Silver Meteor is a 1389-mile passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the Silver Service brand, running from New York City, New York, south to Miami, Florida, via the Northeast Corridor to Washington, D.C., thence via Richmond, Virginia; Fayetteville, North Carolina; North Charleston, South... and Silver Star Tri-Rail Tri-Rail Tri-Rail is a commuter rail line linking Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach, Florida, United States. It is run by the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority. The system has 18 stations along the South Florida coast... MIA Mover MIA Mover The MIA Mover is an automated people mover system which opened at the Miami International Airport in metropolitan Miami, Florida, United States on September 09th, 2011... Metrobus |
|
Ridership Records
Historic ridership records| Date | Passengers |
|---|---|
| 20 May 1984 | 125,000 (inaugural day) |
| February 1989 | 40,000 (month average) |
| July 1990 | 36,200 (month average) |
| October 1990 | 48,400 (month average) |
| November 1990 | 50,300 (month average) |
| December 1990 | 101,000 (single day) |
| 1 January 1991 | 101,000 (single day) |
Monthly ridership averages
| Year | Passengers Metrorail only | Passengers with Metromover Metromover The Miami Metromover, officially Metromover, is a free rapid transit automated people mover train system operated by Miami-Dade Transit in Miami, Florida, United States. Metromover serves Downtown Miami, Brickell, Park West and Omni neighborhoods. Metromover connects directly with Metrorail at... |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 44,871 | 58,140 |
| 1999 | 46,774 | 60,654 |
| 2000 | 47,256 | 61,639 |
| 2001 | 46,664 | 63,514 |
| 2002 | 47,064 | 63,508 |
| 2003 | 51,248 | 76,769 |
| 2004 | 55,294 | 83,486 |
| 2005 | 59,700 | 88,173 |
| 2006 | 58,358 | 85,400 |
| 2007 | 59,708 | 87,767 |
| 2008 | 63,710 | 90,392 |
| 2009 | 59,992 | 85,875 |
| 2010 | 59,900 | 87,075 |
| February 2011 | 65,300 | 96,000 |
In Popular Culture
Near the end of older City Furniture commercials, a metro train was featured crossing a river at night with a skyline in the background and, as you may have expected, that was a Miami Metrorail train crossing the Miami River in downtown.See also
- MetromoverMetromoverThe Miami Metromover, officially Metromover, is a free rapid transit automated people mover train system operated by Miami-Dade Transit in Miami, Florida, United States. Metromover serves Downtown Miami, Brickell, Park West and Omni neighborhoods. Metromover connects directly with Metrorail at...
- Miami-Dade TransitMiami-Dade TransitMiami-Dade Transit is the primary public transit authority of Miami, Florida, United States and the greater Miami-Dade County area. It is the largest transit system in Florida and the 12th-largest transit system in the United States....
- Tri-RailTri-RailTri-Rail is a commuter rail line linking Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach, Florida, United States. It is run by the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority. The system has 18 stations along the South Florida coast...
- Transportation in Miami
- List of rapid transit systems
- List of North American rapid transit systems by ridership
- List of United States railroads
- List of Florida railroads
External links
- Miami-Dade Transit
- Metrorail Homepage.
- http://www.miamidade.gov/transit/library/pdfs/corridor/n/master_developer/Forum_Save_The_Date_Flyer.pdf Master Developer Forum flyer - shows names of projected stations on North Corridor Extension
- Network Map (to scale)