Thursday October 4, 2007
Proposed new Metrorail and other transit lines
Left to right: Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), Metrorail, Disel Multiple Unit (DMU).
Below are proposed new transit lines from the executive summary of a Kendal Link study (download pdf of summary). While it focuses on South Miami, it has implications for the whole county. Still, the political situation in Kendall around some of these proposals is pretty controversial. This is mainly NIMB surrounding transit trains along existing, but minimally-used, tracks. As such, I’d be interested in hearing what South Miami/Kendall residents thing of these proposals.
It’s useful to know that this study considers anything under 5 years short-term planning, 5-15 years is mid-range, and over 15 years is long-range. You can click any of these maps to see a larger version.
Proposed Metrorail/BRT line along Kendall Drive.
Proposed North/South Metrorail line along Turnpike.
Proposed new Metrorail (orange) line and DMU (green) line.
Proposed North/South BRT line, alternative to above Metrorail option. I gather this is more useful to more people, but also more disruptive.
Putting it all together: this is the short/midrange transportation strategy.
And finally, the biggie: the long-range “preferred” transit strategy. It ain’t pretty, but this is what you get when you combine low-density sprawl with a mandate to reduce worldwide carbon emissions. Also: I still want my Metrorail beach-line.
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BRTs are not an adequate replacement for a heavy rail system. It’s basically putting a small bandage on a hemorrhaging wound.
We need a more comprehensive public transportation system which utilizes more rail, and less road-borne traffic. Raised intersections, at major crossings (though a bit pricey), will quell most “traffic concerns” associated with trains. Also, smaller trolley/street car circulator systems in areas with dense populations and Metrorail stops would also be helpful. And even the NIMBYs who oppose such projects as the CSX alternative, will find their quality of life is improved—ultimately swinging them in favor of the projects in retrospect.
As for a beach Metrorail line, the Metrorail should stop at 5th Street and I-395 to give way to the aforementioned streetcar style system circulating South Beach (and maybe a single line going up Collins to Surfside and Bal Harbour). I believe the streetcars, even with overhead wires would be more ascetically appealing than a raised Metrorail line.
If Miami Beach, more specifically, the entire barrier island, were to have a street car/light rail system, they should really look at Houston’s mishaps with its light-rail system . Seriously, because Miami drivers are some of the dumbest drivers in the U.S.
I agree with Duran, Buses are not a solution, it’s a bandaid. I live in the area of Sunset Dr. and 117 ave. I take the Metrorail from Dadeland North to Government Center and back every day. It takes me 50 minutes to get from SW 117 Ave and SW 72st to Dadeland North, a whopping 7 miles. It’s brutal.
I support wholeheartedly a rail system down Sunset or Kendall Dr. The added noise is worth the convenience. Plus, heck, it doesn’t have to run all night. Cut it off at 11:30 or something.
Another thing I would LOVE to see, is if they were to widen the existing metrorail line, so that they could run an express train during rush hours from the south to government center!
One can dream.
A lot of this would be grand. DMU’s still pollute though, Diesel Multiple Unit. What I would suggest is an EMU. Well, MagLev from Transrapid ideally for that line but there’s a snowballs chance in hell of getting funding for that from the Feds, even as an experiment. The money would be blown on kickbacks and local pols’ drug habits.
Nice job Alesh…We’ll be composing our review this weekend…
Hey Alesh, Do you want to come over to hang out with leif, and chad tonight or tomorrow… or sunday./?? or,,…? yes? or WE CAN VISIT YOU!!!
That’s nice. A lot of these lines (if made) would pass two blocks from here. That’d be useful to go to FIU…not sure how other fellow Kendale Lakes people’d think about that.
I just dont understand why everything transit related is so difficult to pass in Miami. I have been living in New York City for the last 2 years and mass transit here is great. Yes it can be slow, crowded, not reliable, and dirty but it gets you from point to point. I also understand that New York was building its transit system decades before Miami even started. However, when I travel to Long Island 95% of the rails are on land and not elevated. Why cant we build the MetroRail extension to Homestead on land? Then, when a train nears an intersection they can bury that portion or go over the intersection? I can be completely wrong in this but I dont see the need to have the entire system elevated. Other portions of Miami unfortunately are built and the only way to go is up. In Queens, and the Bronx major parts of the subway come up from the underground and run directly above streets clogged with cars. Why did we pass the half penny tax if they cant get anything started??
PS: I think the bus idea is horrible.