Transportation officials and others were on hand on Monday, September 28, to celebrate when MDX officially broke ground on a new construction project on State Road (SR) 836/Dolphin Expressway that will ease traffic congestion and pave the way for express bus service in the future. The new project involves widening the expressway by one lane in each direction and reconstructing interchanges from Northwest 57th Avenue east to 27th Avenue. The project will cost $149.5 million and will be completed in just three years, and over $40 million of the overall project cost will go to small and local businesses who will be working on the project.
“This project will significantly improve traffic congestion in the area and fix operational deficiencies at the interchanges from NW 57th Avenue to NW 27th Avenue,” said MDX Executive Director Javier Rodríguez, P.E. “For example, at LeJeune Road, there are left-hand exits and entrances. We are going to fix those and make sure those entrances and exits are on the right-hand side, improving safety and traffic flow. Right-hand exit and entrance ramps are more efficient because they ensure that drivers are not weaving in and out of traffic trying to exit or enter from the left.”
According to MDX officials, the project will also include an innovative interchange at Northwest 57th Avenue and Northwest 27th Avenue, called a Divergent Diamond Interchange (DDI). The first of its kind in South Florida, the DDI interchange is an innovative traffic solution that significantly improves safety and traffic efficiency over more traditional interchange formats.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez supported the project when he spoke at the ceremony about partnering with MDX to find ways to alleviate traffic congestion in the community. “We are serious about solving our traffic and mobility issues. They are top priorities for my administration,” said Gimenez. “Miami-Dade County will continue to work with MDX, the Florida Department of Transportation, and the federal government as well as with the 34 municipalities throughout our county to improve our transit and mobility challenges.”
At the groundbreaking ceremony Miami-Dade County Commissioner Rebecca Sosa noted that the new project will also set the stage for express bus service on SR 836. “A critical part of this project involves repairing the inside shoulder of the expressway,” said Sosa “This area will dedicated to express bus service, particularly during peak periods.”
Miami-Dade County Commissioner Audrey Edmonson, who has long been an advocate for the creation of local jobs in Miami-Dade County, touted the new opportunities the project will bring to the community. “As a result of this project, over 1,600 jobs will be created,” said Edmonson. “The project also ties into the I-395 Signature Bridge Project directly to the east which is a great partnership between FDOT and MDX. It’s a win-win for our community.”
“This is one of many projects that demonstrate MDX fulfilling its purpose,” said MDX Chairman Louis Martinez “As public stewards, MDX is committed to providing projects that deliver connectivity, technology and transit to connect residents to all modes of transportation. This is exactly what MDX is delivering with its work program.”
For more information about MDX, please visit www.mdxway.com.
Can someone explain how MDX and Miami Dade county are still working with Odebrecht, a company whose president is in jail in Brasil for proven participation on a multimillion dollar government corruption case? This is a blatant violation of FCPA compliance.