Voters decide on rapid tansit in Miami's primaries

Miami traffic is getting worse. Now voters can decide whether expanding rapid mass transit is the solution.

Why it matters: A yes vote on Tuesday's county referendum would signal to commissioners that they should move ahead on expansions of Metrorail and Metromover long promised to voters.

What they're saying: Miami-Dade Commissioner Eileen Higgins, who co-sponsored the referendum, tells Axios that a big show of community support could help the county secure state and federal funding for the pricey projects.

• While the ballot question is nonbinding, Higgins says it's a gut check for the commission.
• "I think this will affirm loudly and clearly that people are tired of being stuck in traffic and they want our community to implement rapid mass transit."

State of play: The county's first new rapid transit corridor, a 20-mile bus route in South Dade, is expected to open April 2025.

• Major projects the county is proposing include Metrorail extensions to the Northeast and North Corridors , and Metromover extensions to Miami Beach and Florida International University .

🚇 The Northeast corridor extension , which would connect downtown to Aventura with stops in Wynwood and more, has been recommended for $263.7 million in federal funding by the Biden administration.

The North corridor extension , which would stretch past Hard Rock Stadium toward the county line, is being studied by the state, Higgins says.

• The state is also still reviewing proposals for the Baylink to South Beach and the Metromover extension to FIU along Flagler Street, she adds.

By the numbers: Elevated rail in particular is being pitched as a way to cut down commutes.

• The Baylink across the MacArthur Causeway would take about 15 minutes, the county has estimated .

Flashback: It's been over 20 years since voters were promised Metrorail extensions as part of the half-penny transit tax, but the commuter rail hasn't been extended since the Miami International Airport stop came online in 2012 .

• Promises of a north corridor extension date back to the 1970s, when voters were pitched on building the Metrorail.

Context: Higgins said "transit planning was not prioritized" during previous administrations, but the current board is ready to charge ahead.

• The half-penny tax has been used to develop transit projects, but it's not enough to fund the system.
• "We will be able to build these projects. We have a commission that is committed to not just talking about transit — we want this fixed."

What's next: Higgins says a general obligation bond may be needed to provide additional funding.

Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect that the proposed Baylink across the MacArthur Causeway is expected to take 15 minutes (not save 15 minutes compared to driving).