Port of Miami Tunnel P3

Traffic in Miami, especially in the downtown area, is an ever-increasing problem for city and county authorities. With the population continuing to grow, more vehicles crowd the streets and the demand for goods and services to support this growth creates numerous localized supply challenges. 

Cargo coming into the Port of Miami must be transported to its final destination via cargo trucks and other large delivery vehicles that use the same overcrowded bridges and roadways as motorists. Add the Cruise line busses shuttling visitors to the cruise terminal and the result is severe traffic congestion. Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), Miami-Dade County and the City of Miami teamed to implement a tunnel system capable of improving the existing access to the Seaport. Once completed, the tunnel will provide an alternative direct connection between I-395, I-95, and the Seaport, reducing congestion on the existing Port Bridge. Cargo trucks and cruise line busses destined for the Port of Miami will be diverted from downtown streets via the new tunnel connection, improving traffic congestion and safety in the area. 

To make such an undertaking financially viable, the project will be funded through an innovative public-private partnership (P3). This allows for shared risk between the concessionaire and project owner, and expedites the design and construction of the project. The Port of Miami Tunnel will be the first transportation project in Florida funded through a P3. Initially, the financier will secure the capital, which will then be recouped through monthly payments shared between the FDOT District Six, Miami-Dade County and the City of Miami. Construction is expected to complete in 2014, with the concessionaire performing operations and maintenance (O&M) services for an additional 30 years. 

Jacobs’ role in the Miami Access Tunnel (MAT) concession team includes highway, bridge, and tunnel design, along with associated services such as lighting design, utility relocation, support buildings and maintenance of traffic. MAT also includes a major finance partner, Bouygues Travaux Publics S.A. as the construction lead, and Transfield Services Ltd. for operation and maintenance of the project after completion. The central feature of this three-mile project is a highway tunnel that will connect the Port of Miami (Dodge Island) to the mainland (MacArthur Causeway on Watson Island). Additional elements include widening the MacArthur Causeway Bridge and integrating the new tunnel and bridge structures into the existing Port of Miami roadway system.