9 nov 2014

Tolls, Tolls but the MDX roads are not even finished 11/10/2014

!Por la Revolución de las Ideas!

www.latribunacolus.com Tolls, Tolls but the MDX roads are not even finished
For the last 14 years we have seen how Miami Dade’s expressways have been under construction causing delays on everyday traffic commutes, and even causing people to move from areas like Kendall, Homestead and Doral simply because trying to reach downtown, the beaches, Coral Gables and Brickell is sometimes an adventure. This mainly due because both on 836 and 826, especially where they meet, have been under construction for such a long time that it almost seems like a never ending project. No one has explained to the tax payers why it has taken so long for that project to be completed. Moreover, the implementation of new tolls on both roads, without even mentioning the ones being added on I-95, create a sense that while the roads have taken forever to be finished, the tolls are quickly put in place to start service on November 15th, 2014.

All who live in Miami Dade are asking the question why the roads have taken so long to finish and why there are no plans of expanding and improving the public transportation system in Miami. No plans have been mentioned to expand the metro Rail so that it can have stations through out Kendall and Doral uniting the city through a full circle around the main populated areas. The Metro Rail would definitely be a solution for the transportation crisis in Miami, which no one seems to address responsibly. Therefore, all Miami Dade inhabitants hope that the tolls will mean better transportation services, better roads and more development, but most important of all, less traffic on main roads that could push more productivity for small businesses and people in general. In Miami it takes almost an hour to complete a journey that would normally take 15 to 20 minutes. That is absurd and must have a short term solution.

Miami has almost become a third world city where roads projects are done during the day or early evening with no information being provided to anyone in order for many to avoid traffic jams. The only roads that have some information are the long lasting MDX construction which also causes enormous traffic traumatisms since 80% of the city’s main traffic uses these expressways. The city is expanding and requires politicians-leaders with great vision to turn Miami into a real economic growth jewel, but with the current roads, tolls without finishing the job, and a public transportation system from the 80's, it is impossible to think that Miami will move forward in this area.

Looking forward, we all hope Miami Dade can resolve the many challenges it has regarding transportation and the absurd delays the current state of the roads are generating to its citizens. Moreover, we do hope that the tolls being enforced this November 15th, will also help develop major infrastructure builds like extensions to the metro rail and a further extension of the Turnpike that goes into the deep southwest areas up to 157th SW (Kendall area) in order to reduce the traffic caused at rush hour when people try to leave or return home, which can be an additional odyssey for local drivers.

Tolls and more tolls; let’s hope they bring progress and not more of the same mediocre solutions seen so far to help Miami advance.
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Cristhian Mancera Mejia
Director
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Editorial
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