MIA MOVER – Post 9/11 Project Strategy Sanjeev N. Shah (1), P.E., M.ASCE (Primary Contact) Kamel Mokhtech (2) , P.E., Ph.D Carlos F. Bonzon (3), P.E., Ph.D Richard Garcia (4) Guillermo Carreras (5), AIA Gasser Douge (6), P.E., M.ASCE (1) Associate Principal , Lea+Elliott, Inc., 7200 Corporate Center Drive, Suite 510, Miami, FL 33126; PH 305 500 9390; Fax 305 500 9391; [email protected] (2) Manager of Engineering Projects, Lea+Elliott, Inc., 7200 Corporate Center D rive, Suite 510, Miami, FL 33126; PH 305 500 9390; Fax 305 500 9391; [email protected] (3) Interim Aviation Director/Assistant County Manager, Miami -Dade County, Stephen P. Clark Center, 111 N.W. 1 st Stre et, Miami, FL 33128, PH (305) 375 1451; Fax (305) 375 1501; [email protected] (4) Project Manager, Miami -Dade Aviation Department, P.O. Box 592075, Miami FL 33159; PH 305 869 1040; Fax 305 876 8067; Rgarcia@miami -airport.com (5) Program Manager, Dade Aviation Consultants, P. O. Box 594040, Miami, FL 33159; PH 305 876 8335; Fax 305 876 0467; Gcarreras@miami -airport.com (6) Proje ct Coordinator, Dade Aviation Consultants, P. O. Box 594040, Miami, FL 33159; PH 305 869 1953; Fax 305 876 0467; Gdouge@miami -airport.com Abstract The MIA Mover (previously known as the MIC/MIA Connector) is an elevated Landside Automated People Mover (APM) system that is being implemented at Miami International Airport (MIA) by the Miami -Dade Aviation Department (MDAD). The MIA Mover will provide a convenient and reliable means for transporting passengers between a centrally located MIA station and the Miami Intermodal Center (MIC). The MIC includes the Consolidated Rental Car Facility (CRCF), which will be one of the first elements of the MIC to become operational. After 9/11, with the impacts on the Aviation Industry and MIA in particular, efforts were undertaken to re -evaluate the overall MIA Capital Improvements Program in conjunction with the uncertainty presented by business and economic conditions. As part of this evaluation, the MIA Mover was modified to operate in a “straight configuration,” with approximately 1.25 miles of dual lane guideway, a single MIA Station and the MIC Station (compared to approximately 1.75 miles of dual lane guideway and 3 MIA stations) to support ridership commensurat e with 39 million annual passengers in the 2015 time frame (compared to 48/55 MAP previously) and approximately 48 million annual passengers in the 2033 time frame. These modifications resulted in a reduced project budget of $254 million (compared to $400 million previously). Commitments for the operational readiness date for the MIA Mover, necessitated that the entire project (infrastructure and operating system) be procured under a single Design -Build -Operate - Maintain contract (inclusive of infrastructure and operating system). Draft documents were issued for an Industry Review in the second quarter of 2004 to solicit industry input. This paper examines the process wherein various project parameters such as ridership, alignment, need for compatibilit y with future airport needs and other operational considerations were considered in support of the appropriate policy decisions by MDAD that resulted in the re -configured MIA Mover and its contract requirements. Background – Pre 9/11 Planning for the Miami Intermodal Center (MIC) and MIA Mover (formerly known as the MIC/MIA Connector) projects began in the early 1980s when the Miami -Dade Aviation Department (MDAD) developed strategies for relieving congestion at Miami International Airport (MIA) passenger terminals and for allowing further expansion to support growth in keeping with the economic needs of the Greater Miami and South Florida region. Earlier attempts at resolving issues related to area -wide congestion had focused on construction of an addit ional airport. However, construction of runway facilities in the Everglades and planning for the South Florida Air Carrier Reliever Airport were halted for environmental reasons. Soon thereafter, a report prepared by the Miami -Dade Metropolitan Planning Organization recommended the development of a multi -modal transportation facility (the MIC) adjacent to MIA to improve regional access to the Airport. These findings were later reaffirmed in MDAD’s MIA Master Plan and Strategic Plan which indicated that the MIC and MIC/MIA Connector are needed to improve regional access to the airport and the traffic flow within the terminal area. Follow-on efforts by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) in cooperation with various County and Federal agencies gave rise to the establishment of the Miami Intermodal Center program. The MIC development program is managed by FDOT and was planned as a regional transfer point for different ground transportation modes, including bus and rail transit systems, commuter and intercity transit systems. The MIC will serve as a Remote Ground Transportation Hub for MIA by providing access to regional transit systems, a consolidated rental car facility, remote parking and courtesy buses to hotels and off -airport/off -site rental ca r companies. The MIA Mover will be implemented by the Aviation Department and will provide the vital link between the remote MIC and MIA. Pre 9/11, the MIA Mover was planned to be an Automated People Mover (APM) system traveling on a fixed guideway in fr ont of MIA passenger terminals to transport passengers between the terminals and the planned MIC. With the beginning of passenger service, rental car and hotel courtesy buses and regional transit bus service were to be transferred to the MIC, thereby enhan cing the ground transportation/landside access to Miami International Airport by relieving traffic in the passenger terminal areas, terminal curbfronts and on the main access roadways into MIA. The initial and ultimate alignment configuration and the inter face between the MIA Mover station and the airport terminals is illustrated in Figure 1. Ground transportation access to MIA is one of the critical factors that can limit the capacity of MIA. Due to its landlocked nature and lack of real estate to supplem ent existing roadway systems and terminal curbfront, the MIA Mover is the only viable solution to enhance the ground transportation/landside system in a manner that will allow MIA to continue growth to support the population and economic growth of the Grea ter Miami and South Florida region. It was scheduled to begin operation by the middle of year 2006. Without the MIA Mover, MIA =s capacity will be capped at 55 million annual passengers (MAP), the expected saturation capacity of the facilities being impleme nted in the current CIP; this figure was projected to be attained by year 2010 by the original Masterplan, that subsequently was updated and projected an air Page 2 of 13 passenger traffic in 2010 to be 48 MAP; the facility saturation to 55 MAP will be deferred by a fe w years. Pre 9/11 - Initial and Ultimate Configuration Station Platform Plan Station/Terminal Interface Figure 1: MIA Mover – Initial and Ul timate Loop Configuration – Pre 9/11 Effects of 9/11 The events of September 11, 2001 do not have any precedence in United States history nor in aviation industry history. In addition to the tragic loss of human life, there was a tremendous impact on the economy and security consciousness. The aviation industry was, perhaps, hardest hit, with new and evolving security regulations being implemented at airports almost overnight. Air passenger traffic dropped substantially and only recently has started reach ing the pre September 11, 2001 levels. Airport capital improvements programs are generally funded through bonds backed by Passenger Facility Charges (PFCs) that are charged to the passengers utilizing the airport. The drop in air passenger traffic coupled with the uncertainty in future economic conditions severely impacted the financing and bonding capability of airports for their capital improvements programs. Page 3 of 13 Post 9/11 MIA Capital Improvements Program Re -Evaluation After 9/11, with the impacts on the Aviation Industry and MIA in particular, efforts were undertaken to re -evaluate the overall MIA Capital Improvements Program in conjunction with the uncertainty presented by business and economic conditions. Miami International Airport’s air passenger traffic is split, almost evenly, between domestic and international traffic, and a $5.4 billion Capital Improvements Program (CIP) was already underway. The MIA Mover was an important landside access improvement part of this overall program. There was an urgent need to evaluate the viability of the CIP with due consideration of the economic impacts on the airline industry also. There was concern that maintaining the CIP at the pre 9/11 level, with the reduced air passenger traffic and the uncertain fore cast of future economic conditions, would result in untenably high costs to airlines to operate at MIA. Cost containment was a key consideration in evaluating the priority of the CIP elements. Air passenger traffic forecasts were also re -evaluated. The evaluation indicated that MIA air passenger traffic would likely reach 39 million annual passengers in the 2015 time frame (compared to the previous forecast of 48 million annual passengers in the 2010 time frame). As part of this evaluation, the MIA Mover was modified to operate in a “straight configuration,” with approximately 1.25 miles of dual lane guideway, a single MIA Station and the MIC Station. The ridership was evaluated and reduced commensurate to the reduced air passenger