Government Center (MDT station)

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Government Center
Metrorail metro station
Metromover people mover station
Transit at Government Center.jpg
Three modes of transit operating simultaneously at Government Center during afternoon rush hour
Station statistics
Address Metrorail:
101 NW First Street
Miami, Florida 33128
Metromover:
138 NW Third Street
Miami, Florida 33128
Coordinates 25°46′33″N 80°11′45″W / 25.77583°N 80.19583°W / 25.77583; -80.19583Coordinates: 25°46′33″N 80°11′45″W / 25.77583°N 80.19583°W / 25.77583; -80.19583
Lines Metrorail:
  Green Line
  Orange Line
Metromover:
  Downtown Loop
  Omni Loop
  Brickell Loop
Connections Local Transit Metrobus: 2, 3, 7, 9, 11, 21, 24, 51, 77, 93, 95, C (103), S (119), 120, 195, 207, 208, 246, 277 and 500
Local Transit Broward County Transit (BCT): 95
Taxicabs
Levels 4
Platforms 1 island platform (Metrorail)
2 side platforms (Metromover)
Parking FEC-owned private lots
Other information
Opened May 20, 1984 (Metrorail)
April 17, 1986 (Metromover)
Accessible Handicapped/disabled access
Code GVT
Owned by Miami-Dade County
Traffic
Passengers (2011) 3.2 million[1] (Metrorail) Increase 3%
Services
Preceding station   Metrorail   Following station
toward Palmetto
 Green Line
toward Airport
 Orange Line
Preceding station   Metromover   Following station
toward Government Center
 Downtown Loop
One-way operation
One-way operation
 Brickell Loop
Omni Loop
toward School Board
Location
Government Center (MDT station) is located in Miami

Government Center is a Metrorail and Metromover rapid transit transfer station in Downtown, Miami, Florida, United States.

The station is located near the intersection of Northwest First Street and First Avenue, a part of the Stephen P. Clark Government Center Building, opening to service May 20, 1984. It is a hub of most travel via public transport in Miami and for Miami-Dade Transit (MDT), servicing two metros, Metrobus, Paratransit, and Broward County Transit buses.

Contents

History[edit]

View toward the southeast of the city center, with passenger trains and the Dade County Courthouse foreground, c. 1930s

Government Center was developed in the late 1890s as the southern terminus of Henry Flagler's Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) from 1896 through 1905 (see Overseas Highway). The FEC built a modest wooden-constructed downtown passenger terminal in 1912, near the future Miami-Dade County Courthouse at 200 Northwest First Avenue.[2] The Dade County Courthouse was completed in 1925. Two years later in 1927 Seaboard Air Line Railroad intercity passenger rail started service at the location, and along with the FEC, continued service through January 23, 1963, when the rail unions went on strike.[3][4] At the insistence of the City of Miami—which had long fought to get rid of the tracks in the downtown section just north of the county courthouse—the downtown passenger terminal was demolished by November 1963.[5] Although a new station was planned at NE 36th Street,[4] it was never built.

Development of the civic center was reinvigorated during the 1970s and early 1980s during a Downtown building boom. The boom spurred the development and construction the Stephen P. Clark Government Center, Metrorail, Metromover, and the Miami-Dade Cultural Plaza, which currently includes the Miami Art Museum, the Historical Museum of Southern Florida and the Miami Main Library.

Construction on the present-day Government Center station began in June 1982. The station was primarily designed by the Cambridge Seven Associates in collaboration with Edward D. Stone. The station was built by the Frank J. Rooney Construction Company. Metrorail service, between Overtown and Kendall, following the precise route of the FEC, commenced service May 1984.

An unused, partially completed ghost platform for a future East-West Metrorail line is adjacent to the west side of the mezzanine level below the current Metrorail station and is easily visible to passengers transferring from Metromover to Metrorail. This platform was part of the original design concept which interfaced with the atrium of the Miami-Dade County Administration Building, and the people mover station.

Levels[edit]

A Metromover train waiting on the lower level of the Government Center station.
A Metrorail train is approaching the upper level of the Government Center station with the Dade County Courthouse in the background.

Level 1[edit]

The first floor of the Government Center complex is on the ground level of the Stephen P. Clark Government Center, which has access to the second level, and the Downtown (Inner) Loop platform of Metromover.

Level 2[edit]

The second floor of the Government Center complex includes the main fare control for Metrorail and operations of the metro system, along with 2 Metromover side metromover platforms. The Brickell and Omni Loop Metromover lines are accessible directly from this level, while the Downtown Loop can only be accessed by the mezzanine or ground level. It also features the Metrofare Shops area, which are open most weekdays until mid-afternoon and closed weekends and federal holidays.

Level 3[edit]

The third floor of the complex is a mezzanine for Metrorail and Metromover trains. Access to the Metrorail platform above and both Metromover platforms below provides for easy transfers. A ghost platform for the never built east-west line is located on the floor.

Level 4[edit]

The fourth floor of the complex is the Metrorail Orange and Green Line platform. This section of the station is composed of 2 tracks (one for southbound trains and one for northbound trains) and 1 island platform. It is the highest transit platform of the Miami-Dade Transit system in height and can hold up to 8 Metrorail cars. The station is equipped with escalators and elevators to the mezzanine level, which provides access to Metromover platforms and the second level.

Places of interest[edit]

Transit connections[edit]

Government Center with the Dade County Courthouse in the background and the Historical Museum of Southern Florida in the foreground on the right
Stephen P. Clark Government Center

Metrobus[edit]

Route # Route Name Route Map Note
2 The Mall at 163rd Street via NW 2 Ave and North Miami Avenue Map Weekend service terminates at NE 84 St and 2 Ave
3 Aventura via Biscayne Boulevard Map 24-hour service
7 Dolphin Mall via NW 7 St Map
9 Aventura via NE 2 Ave Map
11 Downtown Miami ↔ Florida International University (FIU) Modesto Maidique Campus via Flagler Street and West 107 Ave (SR 985) Map 24-hour service; alternate terminus at Mall of the Americas
21 Northside station via West 12 Ave Map
24 Westchester via Coral Way Map Interval service to FIU
51 Flagler MAX (Downtown Miami ↔ West Miami to West 137 Ave via Flagler St) Map Weekdays only; limited-stop
77 Downtown Miami ↔ Miami Gardens at Miami Gardens Drive/North 183 St or 199 St via NW 7 and 2 Aves. (US 441) Map
93 Biscayne MAX (Aventura via Biscayne Boulevard) Map Weekdays only; limited-stop
95 95 Express (Golden Glades Tri-Rail station and Park and Ride Lot via I-95) Map Afternoon rush hours only
C (103) Miami Beach via MacArthur Causeway Map
S (119) Aventura via Miami Beach and Collins Avenue Map 24 hour service
120 Beach MAX (Aventura Mall via Miami Beach and Collins Ave) Map Limited-stop; weekend service terminates at Haulover Park
195 Dade-Broward Express (Ft. Lauderdale at Sheridan St or Broward Blvd via I-95) Map
Map		 Weekday peak-hours only
207 Little Havana Connection (Downtown Miami ↔ Little Havana via SW 7 St & 1 St) Map
208 Little Havana Connection (Downtown Miami ↔ Little Havana via Flagler Street & SW 8 St) Map
246 Night Owl (Downtown Miami ↔ The Mall at 163rd St via Civic Center) Map Overnight service only
277 NW 7th Ave MAX (Downtown Miami ↔ Golden Glades station via NW 7 Ave) Map Weekday rush hour only; limited-stop
500 Midnight OWL (to Dadeland South station) Map Southbound overnight service only

BCT[edit]

Route # Route Name Route Map Note
95 95 Express (Downtown Miami ↔ Pines Boulevard (SR 820) at Flamingo Road (SR 823) via I-95 and Pines Blvd) Map Weekday rush hour only; limited-stop


Gallery[edit]

  • The Government Center Metromover transfer station

  • A Metromover train is approaching Government Center station

  • Passengers exit a northbound Metrorail train during rush hour

  • Platforms overlooking the contemporary US Courthouse building.

  • The ghost platform that is on the mezzanine level

  • A closer view of the ghost platform

  • A Metrorail sign in the plaza

  • View toward the southeast of the city center, with the FEC passenger trains and the Dade County Courthouse foreground, circa 1930s

  • Critical Mass Miami assembling at Government Center

References[edit]

  1. ^ http://www.miamidade.gov/transit/news_technical_reports_archive.asp
  2. ^ [1]
  3. ^ Miami Station (MIA) Great American Stations (Amtrak)
  4. ^ a b Einstein, Paul (Sept. 23, 1963). "It's Coming Down This Week!". The Miami News. p. 2A. Retrieved 2011-03-29. 
  5. ^ Howe, Ward Allan (Nov. 3, 1963). "THE FLORIDA RUN: Railroads Anticipating a Busy Winter—New Schedule Effective Dec. 13". New York Times. p. XX13. Retrieved 2011-03-29. 

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Government Center (MDT station)
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Key
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