The Miami Herald editorial board actually applauds the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority (MDX) for its efforts to help the region fund transportation projects, but says the agency lost the public relations battle after it “expanded tolling to all of its exits on the Dolphin and Airport expressways. That ‘closing of the system’ sparked a backlash among motorists and local politicians, who openly denounce the agency. The relationship between the agency and motorists has never been the same. Not even the effort to give motorists $5 million in refunds through the MDX Cash Back Toll Dividend Program has warmed feelings.” The editorial board adds, “We know it’s a tough sale to get readers to side with MDX, but the Board believes that Miami-Dade’s traffic problems will choke this community, just as Miami Beach is being strangled [by] its traffic problems. Attention must be paid and now and fast. That’s nothing new. Yet, when we look around for governments or [agencies] actually spending money to make our roadways more expedient, we can mainly see MDX’s projects and improvements. And yes, they cost a lot of money.”
