Miami-Dade Commissioners Approve Dolphin Expressway Expansion
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Miami-Dade County commissioners approved Wednesday a plan to expand the Dolphin Expressway.
Commissioners voted 9-2 to expand State Road 836, which is also known as the Dolphin Expressway, further west.
The final route has not been set, but it would extend it 14 miles south and west into Kendall.
One major selling point was bus service along the route.
"It will have the mass transit component, which was a thing I insisted on from the beginning," said Miami-Dade County Commissioner Joe Martinez.
For the mayor who gave this project high priority, the next step is state approval before the extension is said and done.
"We will push this application to Tallahassee," said Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez. "We will get it back, another round of hearing and a final decision by the county commission."
Some residents in the area are in favor of what's being called the "Kendall Parkway," but want it far away from their homes.
"Just build the road, leave everything else alone," said Michael Rosenberg. "If they do that, we are all for it."
Environmentalists are concerned about the potential impact on protected wetlands.
Officials said they have taken precautions to protect the environment.