Battle of the Transit Systems 1: Atlanta's 'Marta' vs. Miami-Dade's Transit System

[MiamiRob]

Originally Posted by Fitzrovian

It's about a mile away from each.

It would be great if Miami built a rail link between DT and South Beach. But good ideas rarely come to US transportation planners.

It's about 4.5 to 5 miles from Metrorail downtown to South Beach. There was a proposal about 10 years ago called BayLink to connect with South Beach and most residents supported it but the Mayor of Miami Beach stalled on the project saying he needed more time to review the project.

Many said it was "racism" & the Mayor didn't want "undesirables" coming in from the mainland which is funny because busses still serve Miami Beach.
The Metro transit agency had to bypass the BayLink project in favor of other projects.

Furthermore as it stands now it would probably cost around $1 billion to cross Biscayne Bay since they can't use the right of way on the McArthur Causeway anymore & would have to build a seperated elevated bridge.

[FlyMIA]

Originally Posted by MiamiRob

It's about 4.5 to 5 miles from Metrorail downtown to South Beach. There was a proposal about 10 years ago called BayLink to connect with South Beach and most residents supported it but the Mayor of Miami Beach stalled on the project saying he needed more time to review the project.

Many said it was "racism" & the Mayor didn't want "undesirables" coming in from the mainland which is funny because busses still serve Miami Beach.
The Metro transit agency had to bypass the BayLink project in favor of other projects.

Furthermore as it stands now it would probably cost around $1 billion to cross Biscayne Bay since they can't use the right of way on the McArthur Causeway anymore & would have to build a seperated elevated bridge.

Biggest mistake in the short history of Miami-Dade county and Miami Beach. The people running that city are idiots sometimes. So much potential yet they keep their anti development stance Miami Beach could be even better. It makes no sense at all that they said no to it. Buses already serve the area, people and zombies can easily walk the bridges too and there are and always have been plenty of "undesirable" people there to begin with, a train link is a must for Miami Beach it is only going to cost more and more money. Absolute morons! Just like they didn't want express lane access to 95 from 195 because it would cause some traffic for a year, so now we will never have access because they didn't want traffic for a year? What short sighted morons they are some times.

Anyway for the thread, Miami has the free peoplemover downtown and a regional rail. But Atlanta's light rail is much better than metrorail and that is the most important part.

[MiamiRob]

^ Actually Atlanta has "heavy rail" like Miami who are the only Southern metros to have them. Miami actually has more rail options than Atlanta with Metrorail, Metromover & Tri-Rail though.

[polo89]

Originally Posted by munchitup

Where is downtown Coral Gables? It sure looks like the Miami metro goes right through it.... Same with Coconut Grove.

The metro-rail goes through PLENTY of urban areas and places of interest. The only problem is, it doesn't reach the suburbs in the outer Western parts of the county. But anyone who thinks the metro rail doesn't hit places of interest is wrong.