Related Urban Fixes Problem

         In its "best and final offer" for the $250 million redo of Liberty Square, political powerhouse Related Urban fixed what might have been a problem: The height of its buildings. Full story HERE.

Huge Transit Sums without Taxpayer Pain

A transit board on Thursday heard hard numbers on how  properties near new corridors for rail or express bus might be willing to pay hundreds of millions because the new lines would enhance property values. Full story HERE.

CRAs: Crucial Help for Affordable Housing

Expert and Grand Jury: Use Community Redevelopment Agencies for crucial affordable housing needs. Hundreds of thousands struggling to find decent places to stay -- and they making traffic much worse with horrendous commutes. Meanwhile, county leaders want to use Omni CRA to help pay for a billionaire's science museum, after already funding another billionaire's art museum. Full story HERE.

BayLink: "Ass Backwards"?

      Less than 20 hours after an "historic" step to create a BayLink light rail to Miami Beach, transit veteran Maurice Ferre suggested the plan was "ass backwards." City Commissioner Francis Suarez said he disliked a key component of the BayLink plan: Waiting up to seven years for federal funds. He said that would be like fixing a boat after it sunk.
     UPDATE: Ferre says projects need federal funding, criticizes the county's "traditionally divided, parochial (NIMBY)" mentality. Full story HERE.

Go for Baylink

      A little-known committee passed a resolution Thursday that could signal the start of creating BayLink -- a light-rail/street car corridor connecting Miami and Miami Beach over the MacArthur Causeway. "Truly a historic accomplishment," said County Commissioner Xavier Suarez.  "The ball started rolling today," said County Mayor Carlos Gimenez. Full story HERE. 

Why Traffic Is So Bad

       Thanks to the voters of Miami-Dade, I have two fancy stop signs on my corner that cost $1990. Voters expected to get vastly expanded rail and bus service for a half-penny sales tax, but no -- they were voting for my stop signs.
         "If you have something whatsoever to do with transit in Miami, you should hide your head in a bag -- because mass transit is in crisis," says Paul Schwiep, chairman of the board that oversees the half-penny expenditures. See my take on transit, this month's cover story in Biscayne Times. Available HERE.