MDX - The Miami-Dade Expressway Authority

MDX Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

Questions And Answers

• Frequently Asked Questions about the 836 Extension
• Frequently Asked Questions About Toll Violations
• MDX's Toll Adjustment Helps Fund Needed Improvements FAQ

1. Why was MDX created?
   Prior to MDX's creation in 1997, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) managed the expressways under the approved Long Range Transportation Plan of the Miami-Dade County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). Local toll monies went back to the State of Florida and the funds were then re-allocated. Sometimes money came back to Miami-Dade but we had no control over how much or when. Then both the state and Miami-Dade County agreed to create MDX to operate, maintain and expand the 5 expressways. Since then, all toll revenues collected stay in Miami-Dade and are dedicated to support the expressway system and to create new roadway capacity through improving existing facilities and constructing new expressways.



2. Why can't Miami-Dade keep up with the traffic issues?
   The answer is one of growing demand with limited supply. While it is standard to build and design transportation projects using a 20 year projection to handle the expected traffic increase, the practical reality is that transportation construction in Miami-Dade County has been extremely limited over the last 40 years due to funding constraints. At the same time, the County's population has grown at an extremely high rate, compounding traffic problems.
   
   The Palmetto Expressway, managed by FDOT, for example, has been planned for expansion for a number of years, and while work has been ongoing since the early 1990's, construction only proceeds as funding is available. Local non-MDX projects essentially compete for gas tax revenues with other needs throughout the State of Florida.
   
   This lack of funding has resulted in limited success in alleviating traffic problems and a perception that transportation agencies may be pursuing solutions in a piecemeal manner. MDX is working closely in conjunction with our transportation partners to leverage our joint resources and to most effectively and efficiently address these critical issues in a timely manner.



3. What does MDX provide to increase mobility?
   In addition to MDX's ambitious schedule of improvements and construction projects, MDX has instituted a number of services to enhance mobility and serve our users. They include the Road Rangers, who patrol the MDX expressways 24/7 to assist stranded motorists; the 511 program; and a new program to be implemented, the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS), which provides system-wide communications that allows for virtually real-time traffic control, improved safety and traffic tie-up problem-solving.



4. Did MDX add a lane to SR 836 Eastbound?
   Yes, from NW 72nd Avenue to NW 57th Avenue.



5. When can the drivers see the extra lane going further down SR 836?
   MDX began the project this Spring 2005 to create a lane that will go from 57th Avenue westbound to the Palmetto SR 826. This project should be completed within a year, and it is the first phase of a project to reconstruct the Palmetto/Dolphin interchange, alleviating a major congestion point within MDC.



6. The SR 836-SR 826 connection/interchange has the worst traffic. What does MDX plan to do to ease this congestion?
   MDX is working closely with the FDOT to move forward with the total reconstruction of this interchange between these two major and heavily traveled expressways. Final design is underway, the FDOT is securing rights-of-way, and MDX and FDOT are identifying full construction funding. The goal is to begin on this project in late 2007. It is expected to take between 5-6 years to complete, as construction must take place while the traffic load is accommodated at the same time.



7. Can you speak about the road widening on SR 836?
   SR 836 will eventually be reconstructed and widened from I-95 - a federal highway - to the Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike (HEFT). The timing and project limits of the individual projects will be phased according to an overall plan that MDX has developed, as funding becomes available to complete all the projects. The MDX plan provides as much capacity as possible, given the tight right-of-way and environmental constraints within the corridor, and it will also accommodate future transit line construction to the maximum extent possible.



8. How many tolls does MDX have on its roadways?
   MDX currently collects tolls at each of its facilities with the exception of SR 878. On SR 924 and SR 874, tolls are collected in two directions; on SR 836 and SR 112, tolls are collected in one direction. Future MDX plans include modifications to the locations where tolls are collected, with the intent of establishing a more equitable toll collection system.



9. How can MDX justify the toll increase?
   All revenue collected by the toll increase will be reinvested into future expansion of the MDX system, ensuring that the money collected remains local. The investment will bring additional capacity to the MDX system and help mitigate the continued pressure on our highway system that has resulted from the rapid growth of our population.



10. How many new toll plazas are going to be built and where will they be located?
    All new toll locations will include high speed Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) SunPass lanes to improve highway operations. The new toll collection locations that are currently planned are as follows:



• To improve operations and to provide a more equitable toll rate structure, the current two way tolls on SR 874 south of Killian Drive will be replaced by a southbound toll south of Killian Drive and a northbound toll north of Killian Drive. Additionally, traffic exiting to and from the south on SR 874 from Killian Drive.
• A new ramp providing movement from Kendall Drive to SR 874 will be constructed and tolls will be collected here using ETC only.
• Tolls will be added in both directions on west SR 836 between NW 107th Avenue and NW 87th Avenue. Access to and from the SR 836 extension to NW 137th Avenue will be limited to SunPass users only.



11. How will the new tolls affect the traffic flow?
    Each of the new toll plazas will have improvements (widening, or new expressway) to the adjacent section of roadway, which will help overall operations.
    All toll plaza designs plan to use Electronic Toll Collection - SunPass - at highway speeds, and the overall capacity of the toll plaza will be that of the adjacent roadway. ETC has been extremely successful for MDX, with more than 50% of all traffic using ETC during peak traffic periods.



12. SR 836 seems the same despite the MDX improvements. Why?
    Projects to address the main congestion points on SR 836, between LeJeune Road and the Palmetto (SR 826), are in final design and will be constructed over the next several years. While there will never be sufficient capacity to fully handle all expected growth in demand, construction of the planned project will significantly help lessen time delays, and make travel more consistent over the length of MDX facilities.



13. Why are there bottlenecks on SR 112 at the NW 36 Street exit?
    There are a number of problems at the westbound exit onto NW 36th Street from SR 112, ranging from a limited width of roadway to multiple streets (Okeechobee Road, North River Drive) crossing at skewed angles with SR 112 and NW 36th Street, to outdated traffic signals and inefficient signal timing. MDX, with FDOT and Miami-Dade County, continues to evaluate other investments and construction projects to alleviate some of these problems. FDOT is finishing highway reconstruction of LeJeune Road, the county is procuring a new county-wide signalization system, and MDX is evaluating other potential localized improvements. As soon as feasible options are identified, MDX will initiate design for them.



14. Is there going to be a new ramp from SR 836 to the I-95 North?
    No major improvements to the SR 836/I-95 interchange are planned over the next several years. MDX, the FDOT and Florida's Turnpike Enterprise are jointly studying options to improve operations on the corridor from NW 17th Avenue to the Port of Miami. Any solutions will be very costly, and the project(s) will not be feasible unless additional funding for construction is identified.



15. Who's responsible for patrolling MDX expressways?
    Florida Highway Patrol is responsible for law enforcement on MDX expressways. MDX has Road Rangers, which patrol the roads to assist stranded motorists.



16. Is it possible to ban trucks from using the left lanes on the MDX roadways?
    Some expressway facilities have limited large trucks from the far inside lane to improve operations. This is primarily limited to long stretches of roadway where there is little weaving or lane changing between lanes associated with traffic getting on and off the roadway. On MDX roadways, in our highly urbanized setting, a large percentage of car trips are short, ranging in length to no more than two or three interchanges. Limiting truck access to the inside lanes would increase the weaving and lane changing that takes place. It would also be very difficult to enforce. MDX has observed that the distraction caused by the enforcement of a citation on the expressway (rubbernecking drivers looking at officers issuing citations) impacts traffic flow much more than does the use of the lane by large trucks or other such vehicles.



17. Can MDX build higher barriers around SR 836 and Miami International Airport (MIA)?
    Much of what MDX can do on the SR 836 corridor is limited by the right-of-way and adjacent lakes in the Blue Lagoon area. Any modifications that MDX might make to SR 836 will result in a change to the drainage. MDX has considered other visual barriers on the northern side of SR 836; however, there is very limited room because of Perimeter Road.



18. What has MDX done regarding gawking and slowing down on the approach to MIA?
    In 2003, MDX increased the height of the median wall on SR 836 in the area around MIA for two reasons: first, to offset headlight glare from oncoming traffic; and second, to block the view of the ground operations at MIA for eastbound traffic. The project has received praise from the traveling public and has reduced "rubbernecking" slowdowns in the eastbound.
    Similar walls or visual barriers are unlikely on the northern right-of-way because of extensive modifications of drainage and tight right-of-way constraints.



19. Is MDX planning any other high barrier on their roadways?
    Each MDX facility has its own unique operational issues as the roadways are upgraded and expanded. Any barrier or noise walls constructed by MDX must meet all appropriate expressway level design and construction criteria as spelled out by the specific circumstances.



20. What can MDX do to relieve the confusion caused by all the route signage around the SR 836/SR 826 Interchange?
    SR 836/SR 826 interchange is a key cog in the transportation of people and goods in Miami-Dade County. The interchange is outmoded, and when it was built, the massive growth in the western section of Miami-Dade County was unanticipated.
    The cost of reconstructing this interchange to meet today's needs and to today's standards is extremely high. MDX and FDOT are aggressively tackling the complex funding, design, right-of-way and construction issues. FDOT is purchasing the right-of-way for the reconstruction, and final design is approximately 50% complete. Our goal is to jointly begin construction on this most important interchange within the next three years.



21. What is MDX doing about the SunPass lane marketing and signage?
    To provide consistency for drivers throughout the entire MDX system, MDX has worked closely with Florida's Turnpike Enterprise to position SunPass lanes, toll plaza operations, and advance signage in essentially the same locations throughout both systems. Wherever possible, this has meant that SunPass Express Lanes are located to the far left side of the toll plazas. SunPass is also available at most other regular processing lanes.



22. Does MDX have a violator trucking enforcement program in place?
    On July 1, 2004, MDX began issuing Uniform Traffic Citations (UTC) for Toll Violations. The issuance of UTC's are guided by State Statutes. Failure to pay the required toll may result in the issuance of a UTC in the amount of $25 payable to the issuing Authority. Failure to pay within 30 days of issuance will result in an escalation of the original fine. The new amount due is $85.50, payable to the County Court. If the UTC is not paid within another 30-day period, the court will issue the registered owner a Summons to appear in court. Fines up to $500 may be imposed if found guilty -- and the suspension of the driver's license and registration of the owner may occur as well. If the registered owner attests that they were not operating the vehicle at the time of the violation, an Affidavit form included with the UTC must be completed and notarized and sent to the issuing authority within 14 days of issuance.



23. What does MDX plan to do with the exit ramp on SR 874 East?
    The entire SR 874 corridor will eventually be reconstructed. At the western end, FTE is evaluating potential reconstruction of the entire SR 874/HEFT interchange. MDX has long-range plans to provide direct access to the SW 137th Avenue and SW 152nd Street area. On the eastern end, FDOT has plans, as part of its Palmetto Improvement Program, to reconstruct the SR 874/SR 826 interchange. MDX has coordinated both of these efforts closely with the FDOT, and the projects will be moved forward as construction funding becomes available.



24. Since the MDX budget has increased by about 300% over the past five years, have the roadway improvements increased by 300%?
    Prior to MDX taking stewardship over the 5 expressways, none of the facilities had been improved since they were opened - and some are beyond the twenty-year horizon that was envisioned during initial construction. Many of the MDX projects consist of major reconstruction and expansions that will provide significant improvements in operations and capacity.



25. MDX develops traffic capacity calculations. For how many years does this work?
    Generally, the planning horizon for projecting traffic use on roadways is twenty years after project opening. Sometimes practical realities limit what can be built or improved. For example, improvements to SR 836 are extremely constrained due to the tight right-of-way and adjacent lakes and ponds which are environmentally sensitive. The net result is that the amount of lanes that can be built on SR 836 is finite, and the best way to handle traffic demand is through enhancements that include:
• Electronic Toll Collection, which removes bottlenecks at toll collection locations
• Intelligent Transportation System (ITS), which provides accident information in real time, allowing MDX to dispatch emergency vehicles to help eliminate congestion caused by vehicle break downs or accidents.