Tri-Rail was established as a commuter railroad by the Florida Department of Transportation in 1989. Originally conceived as a transportation alternative to Interstate-95 during a five-year construction phase, the system was operated by the Tri-County Commuter Rail Authority. In 2003, it became the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA).Tri-Rail serves the three-county region of Broward, Miami and Dade counties in South Florida, from West Palm Beach (Mangonia Park) to Miami (Airport).
As a successful permanent operation, the Tri-Rail system today includes a 72-mile double-track right-of-way with 18 stations, which served over 3 million riders in 2006.
In 2007 Tri-Rail expanded operations to 25 trains in each direction on weekdays and 10 trains in each direction on weekends. This expansion was possible through the completion of a 12-year multi-phased improvement project along the entire length of its 72-mile route, with complete double-tracking of the right-of-way, installation of upgraded grade crossing protection, new stations, and an expanded fleet. Future expansion projects include connection to the proposed Miami Intermodal Center at the Miami International Airport, a northern extension to Jupiter FL, and transportation oriented development at key stations.
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