New train to connect downtown Miami to downtown Ft. L? (Kendall: apartment complexes, transporting)

[checkmatechamp13]

Originally Posted by MiamiRob

The North corridor Metrorail expansion is dead. The county applied for matching Federal funds twice and the Feds rejected the the line going up NW 27 Ave. all the way to the Dolphin's stadium. They said there was "low density" and didn't warrant expansion even though the county owns the right away and all of the environmental studies had been done. ALL it needed was funding.

It really is a shame this line wasn't built because it would have served the North campus of Miami Dade College, another Tri-Rail stop and provided service to the Dolphin's stadium as well as serving the commuters of South Broward.
The east-west corridor is now just a dream because the county doesn't even have any land bought for this extension and therefore they don't have any secured righ-of-way.

As for an extension to Miami Beach? The county was ready to go & many Miami Beach residents voted for the half penny sales tax to get a extension but the Mayor of Miami Beach in the early 2000s killed it. There were rumours that an extension would bring "undesirables" from the mainland to South Beach!

The area isn't that low density. I mean, the area around the southern part of the line (south of, say Coral Gables) has roughly the same population density. Plus, I'm sure they could get developers to build some high-rises around the station.

And not having the extension to South Beach is ridiculous. There are plenty of buses connecting South Beach to the mainland, some passing directly through some very rough areas (the "L" goes down North 79th Street, the "G" passes through Opa-Locka, the #62 goes down MLK Blvd, and the #150 passes through Earlington Heights). A train line would be great for the island.

[Wild Style]

Originally Posted by FlyMIA

Mayors of Miami Beach have been morons. They are all anti growth and development. Miami Beach could really be something. As another poster said they could take the BUS! If the two resort casinos come into Miami (not Miami Beach ) I do not think they will have a choice. Not having a train connection will kill them. FDOT wanted to give I-195 express lane access. The current dumb Mayor of Miami Beach said they did not want to deal with traffic for a year or two so now they will never get express lane access. Makes a lot of sense. Which means I do not get it either living in the Midtown area.

As for Miami-Dade not having land rights to take it to FIU. Spend some money and use eminent domain. Public Transit is an easy public purpose and public access item. The government has full power to buy any property to make the metrorail extension possible and IMO they need to do it ASAP. Rail to FIU and that area is a much better idea. Get the right of way. If casinos do come to South Florida we need to make them help fund public transportation expansion, especially to Miami Beach.

I do not know how true this is, but I was told the casino is planning to flip the bill to expand roads in downtown. To me that is a short term solution. Yeah it make fix things for awhile but as population growth takes place and more visitors come you will be expanding the road again. My point in that is, use all that money that they proposed to use for street expansion and build mass transit. As for the Mayor(s) of Miami Beach, he is only as smart as the people who voted him in.

[exmbdude]

Originally Posted by Wild Style

I do not know how true this is, but I was told the casino is planning to flip the bill to expand roads in downtown. To me that is a short term solution. Yeah it make fix things for awhile but as population growth takes place and more visitors come you will be expanding the road again. My point in that is, use all that money that they proposed to use for street expansion and build mass transit. As for the Mayor(s) of Miami Beach, he is only as smart as the people who voted him in.

Rehab/Expand all the track, signaling and crossing grades in the downtown area first. It will be a painful disruption for those used to using their cars but the infrastructure improvements can lay the ground work for at least regular passenger service to return to downtown. As you pointed out, expanding roads is a fruitless panacea to ever increasing congestion on all the roads.

[Wild Style]

Originally Posted by exmbdude

Rehab/Expand all the track, signaling and crossing grades in the downtown area first. It will be a painful disruption for those used to using their cars but the infrastructure improvements can lay the ground work for at least regular passenger service to return to downtown. As you pointed out, expanding roads is a fruitless panacea to ever increasing congestion on all the roads.

from your fingers to God's eyes! I hope they do it. I have a lot of friends who HATE miami, but I think it is not bad at all. It has a LONG way to go but it must get there and this is one of the best ways to do it (mass transit).

One thing I think they should do to is give the grove mass transit, I think it would help revive that place. maybe expand the metromover from downtown to cocowalk? Also have a stop at that new revamp of peacock park they are doing.

[MiamiRob]

A Metrorail connection to South Beach should be of the utmost importance. I can see tens of thousands of commuters & tourists using it everyday especially when the new Airport Metrorail link opens next April connecting both.
As for the Grove I think the residents would have a heart attack seeing a Metrorail line going through their wealthy neirghborhood! The only viable way is to get a extension from the Coconut Grove station on US 1 and extend the line down SW 27 Ave. which will only be about a 1 mile & a half extension. Of course this line would go through the heart of the black Grove & even they might object to it as well.

The company division that built Metromover in the 1980's no longer exists so it would near impossible to expand Metromover anywhere in the county with the existing system.

[exmbdude]

Politically, SFRTA is fighting against the FDOT for this. The FDOT plan is far more grandiose but the SFRTA is doable with what is already there. It's a hodgepodge solution but it can work. It won't happen overnight but if you do the necessary work to establish the infrastructure you can expand upon it as needed. Once that ground work is established, passenger service can return to the entire Eastern Florida seaboard. It's been a long 48 years since those trains came downtown.

[Wild Style]

Originally Posted by MiamiRob

A Metrorail connection to South Beach should be of the utmost importance. I can see tens of thousands of commuters & tourists using it everyday especially when the new Airport Metrorail link opens next April connecting both.
As for the Grove I think the residents would have a heart attack seeing a Metrorail line going through their wealthy neirghborhood! The only viable way is to get a extension from the Coconut Grove station on US 1 and extend the line down SW 27 Ave. which will only be about a 1 mile & a half extension. Of course this line would go through the heart of the black Grove & even they might object to it as well.

The company division that built Metromover in the 1980's no longer exists so it would near impossible to expand Metromover anywhere in the county with the existing system.

In the grove I was thinking more of expanding metromover not metrorail. I know people would complain about noise which is why I suggest metromover over metrorail. I am sure they would complain its not attractive however, they can make a elevated system attractive. They did it in chicago, check this out link you can do something architectually appealing to make it appealing to those in the area.

As for metromover, they can still expand it because they did it not to long ago in the financial district/brickell. You said the company who did the original expansion went out of business in the 80s, but the last expansion i think was in the 90s. Any firm versed in constructing mass transit can take care of that and the cars are provided by bombardier which is still in existence. In fact, they updated the metromover cars not to long ago. City of Miami is actually talking about expanding metromove to the port soon link (http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/05/15/2217591/metromover-extension-to-port-of.html - broken link)

Originally Posted by exmbdude

Politically, SFRTA is fighting against the FDOT for this. The FDOT plan is far more grandiose but the SFRTA is doable with what is already there. It's a hodgepodge solution but it can work. It won't happen overnight but if you do the necessary work to establish the infrastructure you can expand upon it as needed. Once that ground work is established, passenger service can return to the entire Eastern Florida seaboard. It's been a long 48 years since those trains came downtown.

what is the FDOT plan calling for?

[exmbdude]

Originally Posted by Wild Style

In the grove I was thinking more of expanding metromover not metrorail. I know people would complain about noise which is why I suggest metromover over metrorail. I am sure they would complain its not attractive however, they can make a elevated system attractive. They did it in chicago, check this out link you can do something architectually appealing to make it appealing to those in the area.

As for metromover, they can still expand it because they did it not to long ago in the financial district/brickell. You said the company who did the original expansion went out of business in the 80s, but the last expansion i think was in the 90s. Any firm versed in constructing mass transit can take care of that and the cars are provided by bombardier which is still in existence. In fact, they updated the metromover cars not to long ago. City of Miami is actually talking about expanding metromove to the port soon link (http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/05/15/2217591/metromover-extension-to-port-of.html - broken link)

what is the FDOT plan calling for?

Basically, privatization and the dissolution of the SFRTA as a regional authority, see here:

Tri-Rail unveil its own Florida East Coast expansion plans between Miami and Jupiter - Sun Sentinel

and here:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/71003085/F...rd-102811-v2-2

the initial phase of the FDOT plan would just be service from FTL to Downtown Miami

[Wild Style]

Originally Posted by exmbdude

Basically, privatization and the dissolution of the SFRTA as a regional authority, see here:

Tri-Rail unveil its own Florida East Coast expansion plans between Miami and Jupiter - Sun Sentinel

and here:

FEC Prospectus Board 102811 v2 (2)

the initial phase of the FDOT plan would just be service from FTL to Downtown Miami

very interesting, thank you.

[hurricaneMan1992]

Originally Posted by FlyMIA

Well I would not call 5-7 miles that far but I do agree. However the commuter line they are talking about from FTL will go to downtown.

5-7 extra miles on public transit--even a train--is MUCH different than 5-7 extra miles by car. Especially when you account for the hassle of transfers!