Peter Schorsch
President Donald Trump recently issued an Executive Order directing the Transportation Secretary to expedite the development of large infrastructure projects, streamlining the regulatory process and providing funding to help projects break ground.
The order is part of the administration’s economic recovery effort responding to the recent effects of the COVID-19 closures. The additional federal funding could benefit several transportation projects currently in the pipeline across the state, including rapid transit in Miami-Dade County.
News of the Executive Order comes as Miami-Dade is putting out a Request for Proposals for its Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit (SMART) plan’s Interstate 395/MacArthur Causeway Corridor, better known as the Beach Corridor.
After the RFP went out, a consortium led by global infrastructure investment firm Meridiam proposed a monorail to connect downtown Miami to Miami Beach.
The Miami Beach Monorail Consortium’s plan would create an estimated 3,000 jobs in the area and the sustainable and resilient infrastructure it promises would be delivered by a workforce of 7,000 people, 83% of whom live in Miami-Dade.
Meridiam has a positive track record in South Florida, too, having successfully completed the Port of Miami Tunnel. Its $8 billion in global assets also gives it the financial security to ensure the project is delivered.
“We are excited with the possibility of delivering another cutting-edge infrastructure project in Miami that will serve the community for decades to come,” said Jamie Rubin, CEO of Meridiam Infrastructure North America Corp.
The monorail will run on an elevated track for 3.45 miles on the south side of the MacArthur Causeway, offering passengers a 5- to 6-minute ride from one end to the other.
Further, the consortium says its proposal will feature innovative technology and a modern, sleek design while also boasting impressive efficiency.
A Parsons study commissioned by Miami-Dade County backs that up — the monorail was one of its top transit recommendations for the Beach Corridor because of its elevated rubber tire technology being especially suited for the area.
For more than three decades, numerous studies and demands from county residents have called for a robust mass-transit solution to connect mainland Miami and the beach. The current RFP is the closest the county has gotten to bringing the critical infrastructure to fruition.
Now, it’s down to Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez and his administration to evaluate the monorail proposal and negotiate financial details before making a recommendation to the County Commission for consideration.
Meanwhile, President Trump’s Executive Order, signed June 4, will expedite planned or potential projects identified by the Transportation Secretary. If the consortium’s plan secures local approval, a project decades in the making could be on the fast-track to becoming a reality.
One comment
Mel Thomas
June 17, 2020 at 7:26 pm
How do you like Democrat Socialism? just like the third world isn’t it. Democrat Governor’s & Mayors philosophy? Police ordered to stand down while the city is looted and burned to the ground. Just to mention a few… (Cuomo, Newsom, Waltz, Bottoms, Frey, de Blasio, Pritzker, Inslee held back the Police to allow destruction of their cities and in some cases are still hindering Law Enforcement. The Democrats own it.
What do these Mayors & Governors have in common?………
Wolf (Gov PA) Kenney (Mayor Philadelphia) Pritzker (Gov Il), Lori Lightfoot (Mayor Chicago) Gavin Newsom (Gov CA) Kate Brown (Gov OR) Ted Wheeler (Mayor Portland OR) Jay Inslee (Gov WA) Jenny Durkan (Mayor Seattle) Cuomo, Di Blasio (Gov & Mayor NY) Walz (Gov MN) Frey (Mayor MN) Lyda Krewson (Mayor St. Louis) Gretchen Whitmer (Gov MI & Mike Duggan Mayor Detroit)
All are Democrats who kept the economy in their states and cities closed as long as they could (many still are) and ordered Police in their cities to stand down and allow the “Protesters” to loot, burn, destroy beat people in the streets even murder.
There is no moderate wing of the Democrat party people and they really don’t care about taxpayers except for their vote.. If you vote for Joe Biden, you are voting for Bernie Sanders, or Elizabeth Warren’s far left platform.. Joe will follow the radical left’s agenda or Joe won’t get the support (and he is)…of Val Demings, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Valerie Jarrett,. Rashida Talib, Stacy Abrams, Ayanna Pressley, Nancy Pelosi, Sheila Jackson Lee, Tom Perez, Maxine Waters, Al Green, and llhan Omar.
This is the core of the socialists leftist wing of the Democrat party in Washington and they are firmly in charge.
Democrat Platform & Goals:
(Democrat Taxpayers pay close attention, you’ll pay too)
*End all deportations of illegal aliens, if you get here, you stay. Bernie’s website calls it a “moratorium” on deportations.
Democrats Yes.
Republicans No.
*Citizenship for 20 to 50 million illegal aliens, DACA & TPS recipients with a cost of billions.
Democrats Yes.
Republicans No.
*Massive tax increases. All Democrat candidates have committed to tax increases of various amounts.
Democrats Yes tax increases.
Republicans No tax increases.
*De-fund & terminate border patrol & ICE.
Democrats Yes.
Republicans No.
*Free Health Care for Illegal aliens, DACA, TPS recipients (taxpayer funded with one estimate at 52 trillion)
Democrats Yes.
Republicans No.
*Ending of all private / employer based health care. “Medicare for all”, Feds run everything.
Democrats Yes.
Republicans No.
*Illegal Aliens eligible for welfare & food stamps. (Elizabeth Warrens plan adopted)
Democrats Yes.
Republicans No
*Reparations for race’s harmed by Caucasians. Joe Biden committed to “Reverend” Al Sharpton’s, support for Sheila Jackson Lee’s racist reparations bill in the House. Basically a tax will be levied on all Caucasians in America. (you can’t make this stuff up)
Democrats Yes.
Republicans No.
*Sanctuary Cities & States. Joe Biden supports sanctuary city’s.
Democrats Yes.
Republicans No.
*Free college for all, including illegal aliens (taxpayer funded estimates in the billions. Bernie Sanders plan adopted.
Democrats Yes.
Republicans No.
*Decriminalization of illegal entry into our country.
Democrats Yes.
Republicans No.
*Open Borders.
Democrats Yes.
Republicans No.
Democrats want to make this election all about President Trump. NOT their pathetic platform & Goals.
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