Broward County prepares for public transit makeover with PREMO Initiative

Broward County, Florida – The Premium Mobility Plan (PREMO) is poised to significantly revamp public transportation in Broward County.

The General Manager and Director of Transportation for Broward County Transit, Coree Cuff Lonergan, elucidated on the plan’s scope: “It includes a series of different modes of transportation that we currently don’t have. So we’ll have commuter rail, we’ll have light rail, we’ll have bus rapid transit and we’ll have high-frequency bus service in addition to the normal fixed route service that we have in Broward County.”

Broward County Transit is the vehicle for this transformative program, set to extend premium transit services across an additional 200 miles in the county. This enhanced infrastructure will feature eight east-west and six north-south corridors.

Expanding on the specifics, Cuff Lonergan said: “We’re going to have a commuter rail line that’s going to connect county line to county line, connecting Palm Beach County and Miami Dade County and it will go along the Florida East Coast Corridor. It will include stops both on the southern end initially and that will be Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale airport and near Broward Health.”

Apart from the new commuter rail line, the blueprint includes a light rail transit option set to connect Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, the Seaport, and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Broward County Convention Center.

Detailing other initiatives, Cuff Lonergan noted: “Some of the other cross-county modes include light rail. So if you’re trying to get to for example, the Sawgrass Mills Mall, there will be a light rail line that will take you from the airport to Sawgrass Mills Mall if that’s where you’re trying to get to.”

The initiative has received positive feedback from users of public transportation such as Tommie Taylor and Frank Vicknair, who believe these enhancements are long overdue.

Also on the agenda are plans for a new bus rapid transit line and high-frequency bus service. PREMO represents a significant commitment, with a projected investment of $4.3 billion spread over 15 years.

Cuff Lonergan explained the financial backing for the project: “One of the things that Broward County did and had the foresight to do was to pass the Penny Sales Tax. That surtax is essentially what’s going to fund the majority of these projects.”

The full financing for PREMO will be a collaborative effort, with federal, state, and local funds all playing a role. The commuter rail line is expected to be the first aspect of PREMO to be operational, with its launch anticipated in 2027. For more detailed information about the PREMO initiative, click here.