Feds give initial OK to North Miami-Dade rail expansion

• The county project would operate along 13.5 miles of Florida East Coast Railway currently used by privately owned Brightline trains.

The latest: The Federal Transit Administration last week informed the county that it could proceed to the engineering phase of the project in the hopes of securing $389.5 million in federal dollars. 

• Miami-Dade would pay $337.9 million and Florida would pay $200 million, according to a statement from U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, who represents the area.

What they're saying: The announcement drew praise from transit advocates and elected officials. 

• Cathy Dos Santos, executive director of Transit Alliance Miami, noted that 80% of county voters approved an August referendum calling for more mass rapid transit.
• "For our workers and families, this commuter rail will be a completely new way of moving that's safe, fast, affordable, and enjoyable, compared to the traffic nightmare of the I-95."

What's next: Wilson says the project will need a second rating from the Federal Transit Administration to determine whether the county is eligible for federal funding. 

• Congressional approval is also required.