New service connecting Miami and Palm Beach is expected to add 2,000 riders to the Tri-Rail system.
"Despite lingering questions about funding, Tri-Rail trains are expected to begin operating between downtown Miami and Palm Beach County by 2017," according to an article by Alfonso Chardy and David Smiley.
The article quotes Jack Stephens, the executive director of the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA), who announced the timeline earlier this week. The project will still require $20 million in funding from the Florida Department of Transportation. The funding will contribute to construction costs for tor the line's downtown station platforms, according to the article.
As for just what the new rail service will deliver: "The service, which is expected to increase Tri-Rail ridership by 2,000 passengers, is significant because it will provide the first commuter rail link to downtown Miami from Palm Beach and Broward counties. A large number of employees who work in downtown Miami government and private offices live in Broward and Palm Beach counties."
FULL STORY: Tri-Rail chief says downtown Miami link is ‘going to happen’

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