Miami Central Station (MCS), also known as the Miami Airport Station, is being constructed in Miami-Dade County of Florida, USA. Located east of the Miami Rental Car Centre near North Douglas Road, it is Miami-Dade County’s first ground transportation hub.
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Miami-Dade Metrorail Transit
Miami-Dade is the only metro rail system in Florida. It is one of two heavy rail rapid transit systems in the southeastern US, the other being MARTA in Atlanta.
The MCS is being developed as part of the Miami Intermodal Centre Programme. Upon completion, the station will provide passengers with multiple transportation services such as Amtrak, Tri-Rail, Metrorail and Metrobus, and a Mover for transporting public to the Miami airport.
Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is the owner and developer of the Miami Central Station.
Miami Intermodal Centre programme details
The $2bn Miami Intermodal Centre (MIC) is a multi-modal transportation hub. The project comprises four elements; rental car centre (RCC), Miami Central Station, MIA Mover, and major roadway and highway improvements.
The rental car centre at Miami was opened in July 2010. It serves approximately 17,000 customers per day and has a capacity to re-fuel approximately 300 vehicles per hour. Approximately 6,500 rental cars will be available for the passengers to choose a car service of their choice.
The MIA Mover was opened to public in September 2011. It is a 1.25mile-long automated people mover system that transports passengers free of cost from the airport to the RCC. Mitsubishi Crystal Mover vehicles operate through the line, transporting more than 3,000 passengers, at a speed of 40mph.
Roadway and highway improvements included the realignment and reconstruction of Le Jeune Road, reconstruction of the MIC-MIA Interchange, internal roadways, and construction of transit access roads. Some of the MIC Terminal Access Roadways (MTAR) were reconstructed, while the others were newly constructed.
Developing Miami Central Station
The Miami Central Station is being developed as a ground transportation hub for the Miami-Dade County and for the South Florida region. The facility occupying an area of 27 acres is expected to provide service to approximately 150,000 travellers per day.
The station is being developed in two phases. The first phase involving the construction of the MIA station, Metrobus terminal and Metrorail concourse was completed in July 2012. The second phase covering the construction of Inter-city rail (Amtrak) and the Tri-Rail concourse is slated for completion in 2014.
The Metrobus terminal provides bus service throughout the Miami-Dade County. Buses on most of the routes operate 24 hours a day and travel over 30 million miles each year. Miami-Dade Transit’s MIA station and Orange Line service began operations in July 2012. It transports passengers to and from the airport via Metrorail and Metrobus.
Miami Airport Station design and structure
The upper level of the station accommodates the Metrorail and MIA Mover, while the lower levels service the Amtrak, Tri-Rail, and the Metrobus and Greyhound Lines.
The station comprises six platforms divided into two categories; ground cross-platform interchange and elevated island platform. Amtrak and Tri-Rail will use the ground platform, while Metrorail and MIA Mover will access the elevated platform. A multi-story parking garage system will also be built at the Central Station.
The MIC-MCS construction effort
Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District Six Construction Department are responsible for the management of the MIC construction. The groundbreaking ceremony for the MCS was held in September 2011.
The Miami Airport Station was temporary closed in September 2011 and is expected to reopen in 2014. The closure is expected to reduce the construction costs as well as the construction time by approximately 21 months.
AECOM was responsible for planning, designing and preparing construction documents for the MIC. Perez & Perez Architects designed the Metrorail and Metrobus stations, while canopy structures for the stations were manufactured by Zahner using the latest digital fabrication techniques. The structures were shipped in modular sections and assembled on site by Genesis Structures.
