Legislation will direct more road impact fees to mass transit

(MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FL) – The Miami-Dade County Commission on Nov. 17 gave final approval to legislation sponsored by Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz to make it easier for the County to use road impact fees for mass transit improvements.

Road impact fees, which developers pay the County whenever new projects are built, are now spent almost entirely on road construction, in part because the use of road impact fees on public transportation is currently limited to areas south or east of the Palmetto Expressway – a restriction that doesn’t apply to road projects. The new legislation eliminates that restriction.

“We need to create a level playing field for transit projects so they can utilize these funds, because we can’t just pave our way out of gridlock,” Commissioner Diaz said.

Transit projects receiving road impact fees must also obtain County Commission approval before being submitted to the Miami-Dade Metropolitan Planning Organization.