Today, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez, Chairman Dennis C. Moss and members of the Board of County Commissioners, together with the Citizens Independent Transportation Trust and Florida Department of Transportation broke ground on the 2.4-mile Metrorail extension from the Earlington Heights station to the Miami Intermodal Center (MIC), which is under construction next to Miami International Airport.

"The MIC-Earlington Heights connector will transform Miami-Dade County, allowing residents and tourists to travel between Downtown Miami and Miami International Airport with ease," said Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez.  "The project is the first major expansion of Metrorail in more than 20 years.  I'm committed to getting the project done on time and under budget."

The project is funded, in large part, by the People's Transportation Tax (PTP), passed by voters in 2002.  The PTP has also delivered new rail cars, bus improvements, road construction, neighborhood improvements, and ongoing countywide traffic synchronization efforts.

Photo caption left to right:  Miami-Dade County Commissioner Audrey Edmonson; The Honorable Ana E. Ward, Ph.D., CITT Member; Senator Javier Soto, Miami-Dade County Commissioner; Gus Pego, Florida Department of Transportation, District 6 Secretary; Harpal Kapoor, Miami-Dade Transit Director; Chairman Denis C. Moss, Board of County Commissioners; Miami-Dade County Commissioner Barbara Jordan; Miami-Dade County Commissioner Katy Sorenson; Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez; Miami-Dade County Commissioner Rebecca Sosa; Miami-Dade County Commissioner Bruno Barreiro; Miami-Dade County Commissioner Sally Heyman; and Miami-Dade County Manager George Burgess.