Miami-Dade Commissioners today could pave the way for a new highway.
The proposal would extend the 836/Dolphin Expressway to the west and south.
Reports show it could bring traffic relief to between 300,000 to 600,000 people.
Commissioner Joe Martinez calls the so-called Kendall Parkway a no-brainer.
He says it would save his constituents at least 30 minutes in travel time a day.On top of that, "It's not taxpayer money. It's only paid by tolls, user fees. If you use it, you pay for it. If you don't, then you don't. It's a win/win for everybody," Martinez says.
He stresses it does not move the Urban Development Boundary - leaving the Everglades and current neighborhoods untouched.
That was a concern Martinez had, but he says now that the proposal is a bit further west, hundreds of West Kendall residents who attended a recent town hall signaled support saying, "They want it built. They want it built, not tomorrow, but yesterday."
He believes this would be a temporary traffic solution for the near future, not a Band-Aid.
If approved today and cleared by the state, the Kendall Parkway could be ready for use within three years.