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Miami's BayLink Project Surges Ahead

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Bay Link rendering on Miami Beach

It's not yet time to whip out the pots and pans but Miami's BayLink project, which would hopefully provide reliable mass transportation between Downtown Miami and Miami Beach, has cleared another hurdle, reports the Miami Herald.

The long-delayed rail connection between Miami and Miami Beach won a key approval Thursday when a board of local officials agreed to pursue the massive project in two parallel plans. It finally appears city leaders are making it a priority, but Miami Beach and the city of Miami are preparing separate courses of action. The beach is moving forward with its section while Miami is doing an environmental analysis "aligned with federal requirements," making it eligible for federal funding.

Since Miami Beach officials are aiming to expedite things, there's a chance there will be two systems with a connection point, something the city wisely hopes to avoid if possible. Hopefully the two sides eventually decide to work in harmony on one solid project because while residents are thirsting for reliable mass transit over the bay, BayLink needs to be done right.

One major concern is how the portion on the beach would affect an already chaotic traffic flow. Is it even possible to construct a system at ground level that won't perpetuate the madness?

The whole project has been estimated to run $532 million.

· Bay Link project connecting Miami Beach to mainland takes major step forward [Miami Herald]
· BayLink Coverage [Curbed Miami]