The Miami light rail project has been stopped so that Miami-Dade County prepares a plan to build a connection across Biscayne Bay, including a funding plan.

Commissioners voted unanimously to temporarily stop the fast-tracked light rail project that would lay down tracks on South Beach’s streets. Such vote delays any contract negotiations for the South Beach train project, valued at US$244 million, by at least several months or even longer.

The team selected for the project is Greater Miami Tramlink Partners. Alstom will supply the streetcars and related railway systems and will ensure their maintenance. Archer Western will serve as the lead contractor. InfraRed Capital Markets is the lead investor behind the contemporary streetcar system.

Serco will serve as the primary hands-on operator, focused entirely on the customer experience to ensure and enrich service quality, reliability, frequency, passenger information, and accessibility to all. Jacobs is an engineering firm engaged to work in concert with the Alstom and Archer Western. Walsh Investors L.L.C. is an equity investor in the proposed transportation project.

A final contract for the project would also have to be approved by voters. 

The commission also accepted a suggestion to consider an amendment to the city charter that would require a public referendum on any project that would put rail tracks on city streets.

Mayor Philip Levine made transportation and traffic problems a key priority after his re-election and started pushing for the city to construct its piece of Bay Link ahead of Miami-Dade’s portion across the bay. Under the current proposal, tracks would be placed on existing car lanes on Fifth Street and Washington Avenue.