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Miami-Dade may spend $76 million to build a train station near the Aventura Mall to create a new transit hub in one of the most congested areas along the coast. Miami-Dade would use the county’s half-percent transportation tax to purchase land for the station, and then Virgin would build the station using public dollars, according to a draft memo by Mayor Carlos Gimenez.
A rendering of the proposed $76 million Virgin train station that Miami-Dade County would pay for across from the Aventura Mall. Miami-Dade County
The mayor’s transportation director said the deal would give the county a new rail line to an area not serviced by Metrorail, without the cost of operating a train system or building the tracks. The station at the 19700 block of West Dixie Highway would include a rail bridge to the existing bus station at the Aventura Mall.
The Virgin Train Aventura Station will allow passengers to connect to one of the most highly trafficked malls in the country. The station promise a boost on local commercial Real Estate and in Aventura Real Estate market in general. Service at the Aventura station will begin by the end of 2022, according to county commission.
Virgin Trains USA is a high-speed rail line currently operating under the name Brightline with stops in downtown Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach. The company also has planned stops at PortMiami, Boca Raton, Orlando and Tampa. The most waited rout, set to connect Orlando to Miami, is already in progress.
Virgin has signaled plans to build a station in Aventura for months. In its most recent financial filing, it also said it was “progressing on the development” of stations at PortMiami and in Boca Raton.
Read more: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article235638977.html
