Very interesting item at the TCRPC. Addressing truck traffic on I-95 and train traffic on FEC/CSX lines: The “U.S. 27 multi-modal corridor initiative.”

Again. What happens at the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council (TCRPC) is very important to cities like Lake Worth. The next meeting is on May 19th; the agenda is not yet available.

The two excerpts below are from the minutes of the meeting on March 17th (with emphasis added):

Staff also provided information on Commissioner Fielding’s [Ed Fielding Commissioner, Martin County] U.S. 27 multi-modal corridor initiative. This initiative is to add rail and improve the U.S. 27 corridor between PortMiami and cities around Lake Okeechobee. Staff noted this initiative is trying to bring more jobs to the Glades community as well as add a level of transportation for locating a logistics facility in the area. Staff explained this will relieve some of the truck and rail traffic on our coastal routes like I-95 and the Turnpike.

and. . .

Staff also noted the South Florida Regional Planning Council, which represents Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe counties, has expressed interest in participating in this project. Commissioner Valeche [Hal Valeche, Vice Mayor, Palm Beach County] asked if there is current rail service on that line. Staff indicated not on U.S. 27, but around Lake Okeechobee there are a lot of rail spurs, and the CSX line is very close to that corridor. Commissioner Valeche asked who will be the owner of the proposed rail. Commissioner Fielding indicated they are looking at getting federal and state funding. He said he sees this as having the operators lease the lines.

Stay tuned as they say.