The Miami Beach monorail inches closer to reality with $14 million county deal

[marmar]

Oct. 21--Miami-Dade commissioners approved a $14 million contract Tuesday for detailed designs of a four-mile monorail system between Genting's Miami property and South Beach, the first step toward building a transit system sought for decades and a decision Beach leaders criticized as too hasty.

"I believe the time is now," Commissioner Sally Heyman said ahead of the lopsided vote for the deal. She's one of two board members representing Miami Beach, which passed a resolution asking the county to slow down the vote for an 18-month interim agreement for a project expected to cost more than $500 million to build.

The other commissioner representing Miami Beach, Eileen Higgins, had asked to delay the vote on a contract added to the commission's agenda late last week. "I personally have a ton of questions. Pages and pages of them," Higgins said.

But with a majority of commissioners pressing for a vote weeks before county elections will shift power to a new board and mayor, Higgins dropped her opposition. ...............(more)

https://www.masstransitmag.com/rail/news/21159463/fl-the-miami-beach-monorail-inches-closer-to-reality-with-14-million-county-deal