South Florida Transportation Part II

[dave8721]

A shockingly good idea coming from the County Commision. Gimenez is proposing impact fees from new development in the urban core go to building transit rather than into funds to build more roads:

http://www.miamitodaynews.com/news/080814/story5.shtml

Miami Commissioner Gimenez: Road impact fees should be allowed for transit improvements in urban infill areas

By Risa Polansky
Increased road impact fees paid by developers would mean more money for Miami-Dade roadway improvements.
The county expects to collect an additional $95 million to $120 million over the next five years should commissioners give final approval to a proposed fee hike.
But in some areas — even those experiencing the most development — roads are already built out, Commissioner Carlos Gimenez says.
He's proposing the county allow road impact fee revenue to be used for transit capital improvement projects inside urban infill areas.
The fee revenue typically finances roadway improvements that would "enhance the vehicular movement or increase the vehicular volume in any corridor," said Esther Calas, county public works director.
Mr. Gimenez's plan, which received initial approval from the commission, would "add additional capacity to transit in certain areas of town where streets are already built out," he said.
The idea would be to expand transit services, not to replace existing, he said, offering examples such as completing a Metromover loop around Brickell or beefing up Brickell circulator services.
"If you can't add capacity to the streets, then you need to add capacity to transit," he said.
The county's transit department is embroiled in an ongoing struggle to come up with funds to maintain existing services and build new projects.
A 30-year projection released last month predicts a more than $9 billion shortfall should the county move forward with planned expansions.
Mr. Gimenez said his intent is not to bail out the transit budget but to ensure the road impact fees urban developers pay truly contribute to improving transportation infrastructure in the area.
The Builders Association of South Florida has yet to take a position on the proposal, President Rey Melendi said.
"The industry isn't for or against it yet, because we don't know enough about it. We do have a lot of questions."
Those dollars could be used to, for example, replace old traffic signals even in built-out areas, he said, though transit improvements could also prove worthwhile.
"We've just got to make sure that were not taking dollars out of a program that can ultimately affect roads that can be improved on," he said. "It's an interesting concept. We just need to make sure that it doesn't hurt the roadway funding"
Both the fee increase and Mr. Gimenez's proposal must first be reviewed by the county's Governmental Operations and Environment Committee before returning to the commission for final approval. The meeting is scheduled for Sept. 9.

[Hia-leah JDM]

Sounds good.

[kevinkagy]

Extend the Brickell Loop?! What?! I was under the impression the Metromover could no longer be extended, but this just opens up a whole new can of worms. Obviously, we can't take this (the extension) too seriously, but where exactly would this extension go? Down Miami Avenue? Across Brickell Avenue and into the bay lol? Where?

[SoBe99]

We need to maintain and resurface those roads before we divert those funds elsewhere. So many roads in the county are littered with potholes and cracks that never get attention.

Of course, this is coming from a commission that has failed to maintain even the current metro system, so it comes to no surprise that they know nothing about maintenance and refurbishment.

[dave8721]

Originally Posted by SoBe99

We need to maintain and resurface those roads before we divert those funds elsewhere. So many roads in the county are littered with potholes and cracks that never get attention.

Of course, this is coming from a commission that has failed to maintain even the current metro system, so it comes to no surprise that they know nothing about maintenance and refurbishment.

Thats not the purpose of impact fees. They are supposed to be a fee the developer pays the city to mitigate the extra load of people they are adding to an area. It is currently meant to expand or build new roads or build new infrastructure to accomodate the project. It should never be used for simple maintanance of roads (then again ptp money should never be used for the simple maintanance of metrorail lines). I'm sure cash strapped cities do use the funds for road maintenance but thats not their purpose.

[Songoten2554]

so umm wait a minute if they mean expansion of the metromover i hope it gets expanded maybe there will be a light Rail network in Miami as well.

so is the miami metrorail will be like the BART System in San Francisco i mean BART started construction around the time that miami has started with the metrorail is this possible is the new mayor going to start expansion on the grand metrorail Expansion project will it be possible?

[spellbound]

Yeah, as soon as they finish building another 80 miles of track Metrorail will be just like BART. I believe the new mayor (some guy named 'Merlin') has promised this.

C'mon, Songoten. Let's keep it real.

[Songoten2554]

i know but San Francisco has BART they are lucky to have that system and with the CHSR project about to start very soon BART is lucky.

while here in Miami we are heading downhill?

i don't understand this Miami used to be all over with Streetcars there was streetcars that took you anywhere what has happened that made it diminsihed and will Mass Transit ever make a huge comeback to Miami?

[kevinkagy]

Originally Posted by Songoten2554

so umm wait a minute if they mean expansion of the metromover i hope it gets expanded maybe there will be a light Rail network in Miami as well.

so is the miami metrorail will be like the BART System in San Francisco i mean BART started construction around the time that miami has started with the metrorail is this possible is the new mayor going to start expansion on the grand metrorail Expansion project will it be possible?

Do you ever read what people write here? You never make any sense. You've been on this board for a long time and people always to have to explain to you the real problems that MDT faces, those being Metrorail expansion is not going to happen anytime soon because the people running the agency are inept. I really, don't know how to put it other than, learn to read and LISTEN to what people say on here, and understand that expanding Metrorail isn't as easy as 1-2-3. How many times do people have to explain this to you?

[FIDEL CASTRO]

Listen?

[Songoten2554]

umm well umm i am sorry i guess i forgot about it, after all we are all human sometimes we forget things at times?

so the MDTA is in debt oh man now i feel bad about them wait if they win the lottery can the metrorail expansions happen if the MDTA wins the lottery?

[spellbound]

Originally Posted by Songoten2554

umm well umm i am sorry i guess i forgot about it, after all we are all human sometimes we forget things at times?

so the MDTA is in debt oh man now i feel bad about them wait if they win the lottery can the metrorail expansions happen if the MDTA wins the lottery?

Y'know, if you hadn't put up those youtube videos of yourself I'd swear that this was all an elaborate prank sometimes. The lottery?? Uh, yeah...I think that's definitely the key to getting the 'Grand Metrorail Expansion' going. I hear that a subway line to Nassau will be entirely funded through scratch-off cards as well.

[Songoten2554]

hmm so what is the goal of MDTA should they look elsewhere for these ideas and plan it out and start construction?

[MIAhabana23]

The Metromever extension is very necessary in the Brickell area, as the densest part of Brickell is too far from a Metro Station for most people to actually use them.

The Metromover Brickell Loop currently dead-ends at Brickell Avenue and 14th Street. The line runs too far away for the people who live east of Brickell Avenue to really want to use it, so they drive. So this extention would continue east SE 14th Street, turn north on Brickell Bay Drive, and reconnect to the existing line on SE 8th Street.

[Exploratus]

Or if not head north up Brickell Bay but head into Brickell Key to Pick up people there.
I live in Brickell Bay Drive and it is not far to a metromover station, its a 3 minute walk.

[Exploratus]

I think it should head south after going east on 14th and service all those towers and homes in the South End of Brickell were much of the original brickell residents live.

[kevinkagy]

Originally Posted by MIAhabana23

The Metromever extension is very necessary in the Brickell area, as the densest part of Brickell is too far from a Metro Station for most people to actually use them.

The Metromover Brickell Loop currently dead-ends at Brickell Avenue and 14th Street. The line runs too far away for the people who live east of Brickell Avenue to really want to use it, so they drive. So this extention would continue east SE 14th Street, turn north on Brickell Bay Drive, and reconnect to the existing line on SE 8th Street.

Is this just your idea or is this from an actual official document that they've looked into this because I was pretty sure any Metromover extension was never going to happen. And quite frankly, I don't think it's necessary unless it were going south down Brickell Avenue. It's only a two-block walk if you live on Brickell Bay Drive, which is nothing, so I don't see the need for an extension.

[lamsalfl]

It should head down Brickell toward SW 25th. Is the current terminus of the Metromover equipped with a stub ending for a future extension, or was it built as a permanent dead end?

[dave8721]

UM to students, take the train:

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/brea...ry/653172.html

University of Miami bans cars for freshmen

BY OSCAR CORRAL
ocorral@MiamiHerald.com

In his 18 years growing up in Miami, Ryan Dandes never rode Metrorail.

And in his last two years of high school at Miami Palmetto Senior, he relied on his Saturn Ion to get around.

But now, Dandes, along with the other freshmen starting classes at the University of Miami, will undergo acute car withdrawal.

For the first time, the university is banning cars for all incoming freshmen, making it the first school in the state and one of only several around the country to compel their youngest students to take public transportation, share a car or ride a bike.

''It was kind of sad the other day when I had to give my [younger] brother my car keys,'' Dandes said. ``But I think it will be fine. I don't think that I am going to be needing to go anywhere that there isn't either a shuttle or Metrorail that can take me.''

Students also have a third alternative. They can rent a car on campus for short periods of time.

For just $8 a day, a student can contract with Zip Car, a company that gives students short-term access to fuel efficient cars. UM is importing two Zip cars to make available to students.

''I'm actually excited about not having my car,'' said incoming freshman Meghan Lane, 18. ``I like riding my bike. If I need a car, I just rent a Zip car.''

UM's move to ban cars is part of their Green U initiative, which was launched about four years ago to reduce the university's dependence on fossil fuels and help the campus become more sustainable, meaning its current-day impact will keep future generations in mind.

Alan Fish, UM's vice president for business services, said the idea is to get students to change their habits early on in their academic careers. At UM, about 55 percent of incoming freshman live on campus, so the car ban means about 500 less cars on campus -- and on South Florida roads, said UM spokeswoman Marie Guma.

While the program is good for the planet, it means UM will have to forgo the revenues they usually make from parking permits. Fish said surplus parking spaces may be turned into additional housing for commuter students.

''This is about changing student and faculty habits, and ultimately changing and saving the planet,'' Fish said.

At UM this week, the university launched U-bike, a program to sell bicycles to students for $59. It was a hit.

The school sold out their first batch Wednesday and had to order another 100 bicycles, which come in the requisite orange or green colors.

Outside UM's student bookstore Thursday, a line of students snaked down the stairs under a few oak trees. A small field of bicycles lined up behind tents slowly dwindled as students picked up their new bicycles, eager to launch their new eco-friendly lifestyles.

[brickell]

I remember UF having something similar... maybe it was just putting the freshman parking way out in the middle of nowhere. Good for UM though.