Miami-Dade cannot afford two-thirds of Metrorail projects promised to voters

[Obfuscatus]

...

[Paul305]

Originally Posted by Obfuscatus

The budget for the 2.4-mile airportlink project is $507 million, not including finance charges. As of August 2011 construction is 92% complete with $458 million in expenditures.

The $202M I cited was the amount PTP allocated through FY2010, whereas $507M is the amount they have allocated through 2012, including $100M in funding from the FDOT.

The reason I cited the first number was so I could compare it to the amount allocated to the bus system over that same time period since I can't find any more recent data. There may still be errors since I had to go through a huge pdf and add up all bus-related expenses. More details about expenditures can be found in the Five Year Implementation Plan of the People's Transportation Plan, FY2011-16.

[deambulante]

Having experienced not so long ago for the first time in a while trying to get onto South Beach, it is really hard to comprehend the short-sightedness of planners regarding extending a train out there. It's really shockingly poor foresight.+

It should have been running 15 years ago, and we'll say 30 years in 2025.

[spellbound]

Originally Posted by Miami High Rise

Did you know that it's only 10.0 miles from MIC to FIU

I'm surprised it's even that far. Would have guessed a little less.

Nice pics!

[deambulante]

That skyline angle is imploring for a cynosure.

[Bobdreamz]

^ that article from 2005 is like rubbing salt in a wound! To quote the article :

Expected to be finished in 2012, the $843 million north corridor is expected to run from 215th Street and Northwest 27th Avenue all the way south to the Martin Luther King Metrorail station on Northwest 75th Street.
The Feds rejected matching Fed funds for this twice! MDT then withdrew the application.
MDT can build this line by itself but in sections.

Miami-Dade Transit plans to seek federal funds for half of the required $1.38 billion for the east-west connection.The east-west connection from the MIC to Florida International University is slated at the conclusion of the Orange Line in September 2014.

Sadly this line is still in the planning stage with no land purchased yet nor a right of way secured at this time.

The most pressing extension to me would be a 5.1 mile extension to South Beach first. What good is it to have a Airport link when tourists can't get to the beach via mass transit?

[South Florida]

Why dont they use Express light rail from MIC to FIU? It costs way less then heavy rail, and we can use the dolphin's excess land to secure a right of way.

Its more feasible then building 10.0 miles of elevated rail.

[South Florida]

Originally Posted by Bobdreamz

^ that article from 2005 is like rubbing salt in a wound! To quote the article :

Expected to be finished in 2012, the $843 million north corridor is expected to run from 215th Street and Northwest 27th Avenue all the way south to the Martin Luther King Metrorail station on Northwest 75th Street.
The Feds rejected matching Fed funds for this twice! MDT then withdrew the application.
MDT can build this line by itself but in sections.

Miami-Dade Transit plans to seek federal funds for half of the required $1.38 billion for the east-west connection.The east-west connection from the MIC to Florida International University is slated at the conclusion of the Orange Line in September 2014.

Sadly this line is still in the planning stage with no land purchased yet nor a right of way secured at this time.

The most pressing extension to me would be an extension to South Beach first. What good is it to have a Airport link when tourists can't get to the beach via mass transit?

MDT is not planning metrorail for FIU - MIC , they are currently planning an express bus service from FIU to MIC. It is dissapointing, but this is the economy we are in.

[Bobdreamz]

^ I didn't say MDT was planning a FIU to MIC Metrorail extension. I was quoting the article that Miami High Rise posted above from 2005.

[CalleOchoGringo]

Originally Posted by South Florida

Why dont they use Express light rail from MIC to FIU? It costs way less then heavy rail, and we can use the dolphin's excess land to secure a right of way.

Its more feasible then building 10.0 miles of elevated rail.

IIRC, the metrorail link was not going to even be elevated most of the way anyway. It was going to use the south side of the 836 easement from around 87th to 107th (running just North of Fontanbleau).

Like most I feel anything might be better than nothing. But there's a danger that causing commuters to have to transfer to too many different modes of transportation would turn them off to using it at all, and just stay in their cars and put up with traffic. At which point the whole project would turn from a badly needed public work, to yet another expensive taxpayer boondoggle. This has always been my main reasoning for paying more to stick with the mode we're already invested in, metrorail.

[spellbound]

Originally Posted by South Florida

MDT is not planning metrorail for FIU - MIC , they are currently planning an express bus service from FIU to MIC. It is dissapointing, but this is the economy we are in.

It's more than that. Even with an improved economy down the road we're going to need a VASTLY different mindset in Washington regarding urban transit to get anything substantial like heavy-rail done. It's the 900-lb. gorilla in the room that some folks seem to ignore, but be assured that NOTHING will happen without heavy federal involvement. The money simply doesn't exist without them. Not even remotely close.

As for the prospects of such a change? Frankly, not very good. The winds have been blowing the opposite direction for some time now and even when the feds ARE able to invest in an urban project, light-rail has been much more their focus than existing heavy-rail---aside from some money for improvements to older, much larger and busier systems and a precious few new lines, such as the 2nd Avenue subway in Manhattan. Elsewhere, what little money there is has gone into other modes...little of which has made its way to Miami/South Florida as a result of poor planning and incompetence on the part of MDT.

We all would like to see this dynamic change, presumably. It won't, however, until we get our own house in order and then hope for a renewed federal response that puts real value on infrastructure and improving the nation's urban transport. And here's a hint: Don't expect the Tea Party to be helping much on this one!

[Bobdreamz]

Originally Posted by CalleOchoGringo

IIRC, the metrorail link was not going to even be elevated most of the way anyway. It was going to use the south side of the 836 easement from around 87th to 107th (running just North of Fontanbleau).

Like most I feel anything might be better than nothing. But there's a danger that causing commuters to have to transfer to too many different modes of transportation would turn them off to using it at all, and just stay in their cars and put up with traffic. At which point the whole project would turn from a badly needed public work, to yet another expensive taxpayer boondoggle. This has always been my main reasoning for paying more to stick with the mode we're already invested in, metrorail.

I agree with the remarks I bolded above. A seemless mode of transport is needed and light rail doesn't have the same capacity as heavy rail. That is another reason I would have preferred Baylink to the beach to have been a Metrorail extension and not a light rail one as originally planned.

[theEmbarcadero]

Originally Posted by spellbound

It's more than that. Even with an improved economy down the road we're going to need a VASTLY different mindset in Washington regarding urban transit to get anything substantial like heavy-rail done. It's the 900-lb. gorilla in the room that some folks seem to ignore, but be assured that NOTHING will happen without heavy federal involvement. The money simply doesn't exist without them. Not even remotely close.

As for the prospects of such a change? Frankly, not very good. The winds have been blowing the opposite direction for some time now and even when the feds ARE able to invest in an urban project, light-rail has been much more their focus than existing heavy-rail---aside from some money for improvements to older, much larger and busier systems and a precious few new lines, such as the 2nd Avenue subway in Manhattan. Elsewhere, what little money there is has gone into other modes...little of which has made its way to Miami/South Florida as a result of poor planning and incompetence on the part of MDT.

We all would like to see this dynamic change, presumably. It won't, however, until we get our own house in order and then hope for a renewed federal response that puts real value on infrastructure and improving the nation's urban transport. And here's a hint: Don't expect the Tea Party to be helping much on this one!

More facts from the PMMDK....! So what are you saying, my new routes won't be finished in 2012??

That last sentence is particulary true but the way...! And the reason is RACISM. I once lived in the largest city in the USA without public transit...Pasadena, Texas. Do you know why it doesn't have any public transit??

[theEmbarcadero]

Originally Posted by Miami High Rise

Oh come on enough money gets squandered away down here to build Metrorail lines criss crossing the entire county then all the way to Key West and Belle Glade.

Spell...can u post my map???

Make sure you explain which dillusional poster created it. If not..you might lose your position of Philadelphia Metrorail Killer

[CalleOchoGringo]

Originally Posted by spellbound

...little of which has made its way to Miami/South Florida as a result of poor planning and incompetence on the part of MDT.

Oh don't forget to mention how the Balart/Ross-Lethinen machine only cares about dealing with issues relating to keep a noose around Cuba and funneling money to Israel than actually... ya know... supporting issue Miamians actually care about for a change?

[spellbound]

Originally Posted by theEmbarcadero

Spell...can u post my map???

Make sure you explain which dillusional poster created it. If not..you might lose your position of Philadelphia Metrorail Killer

I'm at work now (see how busy I am?) but will attempt to do that later.

[spellbound]

Originally Posted by CalleOchoGringo

Oh don't forget to mention how the Balart/Ross-Lethinen machine only cares about dealing with issues relating to keep a noose around Cuba and funneling money to Israel than actually... ya know... supporting issue Miamians actually care about for a change?

Oh, God. Tweedledee and Tweedledum. Both have been abysmal One Trick Ponies and a BIG reason the area lags in congressional influence (and the funding that goes along with it) compared to the Lehman/Fascell era.

[theEmbarcadero]

Originally Posted by spellbound

I'm at work now (see how busy I am?) but will attempt to do that later.

I understand...I used to have a job like that! Actually...I would just stay home if I felt like it....still got paid. I guess u could say that my life has changed very little over the past couple of years...lol!

[CalleOchoGringo]

Originally Posted by spellbound

Oh, God. Tweedledee and Tweedledum. Both have been abysmal One Trick Ponies and a BIG reason the area lags in congressional influence (and the funding that goes along with it) compared to the Lehman/Fascell era.

Yup. Sad really... one of the big things that has been holding back this town for a long time.

[CalleOchoGringo]

Oops, didn't know this was already posted here.