Millions of dollars in funding are coming to the Orlando International Airport as part of a new rail project.
Gov. Rick Scott and other dignitaries announced Monday the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority requested $213 million to be used towards an Intermodal Transportation Hub at the airport. It’s part of a larger picture of All Aboard Florida, which would eventually take passengers from Orlando to Miami via train.
It’s something Scott said is definitely needed.
“We had 94.7 million tourists last year – record numbers,” Scott said. “Hopefully we will have 100 million this year. We are spending your tax dollars to get more people and this will do it.”
The new design for the airport intermodal includes a parking garage, public concourse, elevated platforms and a people mover.
The people mover will connect the south and north terminals, taking passengers on a 1.5-mile ride in approximately three minutes.
The expansion would make Orlando one of the first airports to have air, ground and rail transportation.
“It’s because of this planning and vision that we will connect All Aboard Florida with the 90,000 passengers who come through this airport every day,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer.
“This airport, compared to some across the country and the world, has kept pace with that growth and that has allowed us to continue to expand,” said Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs.
The governor said the new addition will add nearly 1,900 construction jobs, including 380 permanent positions.
The total price for the new project is $684 million. Airport officials hope to have the final plans done this year with final completion of the people mover done in 2017.