Lots of good things are happening to the state of Florida lately. The cosmopolitan character of Florida, unique in its kind, is a pole of attraction for multiple activities linked to the international sphere of business, arts and sports; and the fruits are being seen…
Florida is home to 19,9 million inhabitants and annually receives a flow of almost 100 million tourists per year. In fact, Florida is now third in population after California and Texas.
This demographic growth has been accompanied by an evolution towards the modernity of its service infrastructure to the point that Florida is projected as the largest logistics center in the Western Hemisphere within a few years. The state currently has 15 deepwater seaports and 19 international airports, including Miami International Airport, which ranks second in the Union in passenger traffic.
On the other hand, Florida's robust transportation system offers its users multiple advantages to channel their business or pleasure trips. Florida has more than 17,400 kilometers of highways and roads, and more than 4,500 kilometers of rail lines that connect with national systems to cover the rest of the country.
And, as if that were not enough, the railway system will be inaugurated in mid-2017 bright line that will link Miami with Palm Beach and Orlando. In summary, the Brightline project has the following characteristics:
- All Aboard Florida, is the Florida business group that has the concession to develop the only private train service in the United States
- bright line, is the intercity express train service that will connect the most important cities in central and southern Florida through a 378-kilometer route.
- Construction of the locomotives and wagons is in the hands of the Siemens plants in California.
- The Rockwell Group firm is in charge of designing the corporate image of the trains and stations.
- The construction of all the stations – Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Orlando is progressing and should be inaugurated in mid-2017.
- The Miami Central Rail Station will be integrated with the Miami-Dade County Metrorail and Metromover systems.
- The Orlando station will be located within the intermodal center of the Orlando International Airport.
- The service will start with five locomotives with four cars with a capacity of 240 passengers each and will be expanded in 2018 to a total of 10 seven-car trains with a capacity of 356 passengers each.
- The trains will develop a maximum speed of 200 kilometers per hour and will offer bar-restaurant services, WI-FI, comfortable seats and a reservation system.
- The website gobrightline.com shows in detail the characteristics of the package brightline.
The Brightline project will not only bring comfort to travelers, but throughout its trajectory it will spread beneficial effects on the development of the region. We will soon see how new urban centers will develop around the stations, including hotels, offices, housing complexes, shopping centers and countless related services.
For Miamians, 2017 will be a very special year in which we will see the Super-Post-Panamax freighters dock at the port with a capacity of up to 13,600 20-inch containers and we will begin to use the modern system bright line for our visits to the Mickey Mouse premises.