Florida rail plan sidelined

The Miami Beach Commission delayed a proposal for a $400 commuter train that would connect South Beach to downtown Miami. The commission was supposed to vote Monday on a preferred route for the BayLink light rail system, according to The Miami Herald. Instead, the commission did not vote on the route, saying it felt rushed to make the decision. Though the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) has the legal authority to build BayLink without Beach approval, top officials of the agency said that would not happen, reported the Herald. The agency will instead pursue other projects in different communities. The commission did ask Miami-Dade County, its partners in the project, to keep the rail line eligible for federal funds for up to six years.