Congrats on metrorail connection to the airport

[Coconut1]

Originally Posted by rustypolymath

One suspects, on the other hand, that they may prefer to keep those who cannot afford cars (c.f., the riffraff) OFF of Miami Beach. (There is a reason why the Upper East Side in New York and the posh 7th and 16th districts in Paris are not very well-serviced by rapid transit...)

That has been part of their 'reasoning,' but really that's the stupidest reason ever. A) There are plenty of old jalopies that can make the drive over B) The bus already goes there C) They can always walk and D) Most criminals do not select mass transit after making a heist. Criminals have found that carrying a 70" TV on Metrorail without a box and the power cord dangling draws a bit too much attention.

I think the reasoning that you see less transit in areas you mentioned is because that type of person (affluent) does not take mass transit as much as the lower and middle class.

The difference with MB is that it's not all residential (i.e.- workers need to get to work) and there's also such a vast range of incomes that it's not just all rich folks who won't be riding the train.

[r_k]

Maybe they need a velvet rope on the MacArthur.

[hurricaneMan1992]

The connection to the airport is nice, but I would much rather have seen the money go in to a line to the beach, up Biscayne Blvd, or a comprehensive light rail system throughout the urban core.

@rustypolymath, they are currently building a subway line up the east side, and besides, there are certainly more examples of places that actually get more popular and upscale because they have a rail line. With the busses we currently have you still get the riff-raff coming over but miss out on tourists and locals who would like to spend money and hang out on the Beach but don't want to deal with traffic and parking, not to mention commuters who already pack the busses at rush hour.

[rustypolymath]

Originally Posted by FlyMIA

What about the city bus? They already go there.

The city bus is not particularly reliable or convenient for travel from the mainland to the archipelago (at least from my personal experience as of 2005, the last time I tried). Rapid transit would be.

Miami Beach should be connected by some type of rail. Imagine how great it would be for tourist to be able to take rail to and from the airport to the Beach and also go Miami Beach to Downtown Miami and other areas. Less rental cars, less traffic.

Oh, there would be benefits, for sure. But there would also be drawbacks, at least to entrenched interests. I was suggesting one of them. *ducks*