Headline from 1999- ‘Mayor lobbies to Kill Toll Agency”
A trip back in time reveals that people knew MDX(Miami-Dade Expressway Authority) had potential to grow at an alarming rate. This article from April, 1999 reveals that then Miami Dade mayor, Alex Penelas, tried to abolish MDX.
MDX has served it’s purpose to gain control of the five roads from FDOT(Florida Dept. of Transportation) that were neglected and in need of maintenance and expansion. But today their mission of only roads and funding those and future roads with tolls is limiting the counties need for a real long term transit solution.
The longer we allow agencies like MDX to only focus on roads and highways, the more prolonged the pain of not investing in a alternative transit solution will be. It’s too easy for MDX’s top management and board of directors to continue on the same path of “roads baby roads”. We need people that are willing to take on the difficult task of our long term transportation and transit sustainability. And realize that there are alternatives to roads. We need transit leadership that can think outside the toll lanes.
Carlos Garcia
Co-chair,
Roll Back Tolls