Miami commissioners are voting today on a demonstration train station near Midtown Miami, but Wynwood doesn’t want to be left out.
Wynwood’s Business Improvement District announced this week that they are prepared to provide funding and engage partners to build a station along the Florida East Coast Railway tracks (used by Brightline), which would be served by the proposed Tri-Rail Coastal Link.
“The Wynwood BID supports progressive transportation solutions and infrastructure that reduce roadway congestion and improve connectivity, whether through innovative last-mile options, City trolley service or regional rail,” said Wynwood BID Board Vice Chairman Albert Garcia. “To that end, we are prepared to invest our own dollars in a new, permanent Tri-Rail station at the geographic heart of Wynwood, Edgewater, Midtown and Overtown that would provide much-needed mass transit service to Miami residents, visitors and workers along this high-density corridor. These four neighborhoods are home to a large, growing population and are also a major destination for tourists, with Wynwood alone welcoming over 1.5 million visitors last year.”
The BID wants the station to be located between NE 20th Street and NE 29th Street. They are petitioning Miami commissioners to include language in the resolution approving the Midtown demonstration station to also study a Wynwood station.
“The proposed station’s location sits at the intersection of four of Miami’s most dynamic neighborhoods – Midtown, Edgewater, Wynwood and Overtown – where there is a large, rapidly-increasing mix of residents, businesses and tourism,” said BID Board member David Polinsky. “We are confident that our City and County partners will support our efforts to build a permanent Tri-Rail station here, as it would bolster their efforts to create long-term mass transit solutions that take cars off our congested roads and improve residents’ quality of life.”