[IMAGE]MIC-1.jpg[/IMAGE]Miami-Dade County leaders broke ground last week on a 2.4-mile extension of Metrorail from the existing Earlington Heights station to the Miami Intermodal Center (MIC), the county’s future central transportation hub under construction next to Miami International Airport (MIA).

“Imagine: no more having to fight traffic, call a taxi or pay for airport parking. Residents and visitors can just hop on Metrorail and take the stress out of getting to the airport,” Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez said at the groundbreaking ceremony.

Passengers will connect to the airport through the use of a people mover, linking MIA to the MIC, which will also serve Metrobuses, Amtrak, the tri-county Tri-Rail commuter rail system and Greyhound as well as feature a centralized car rental facility.

Most of the funding for the $526 million project will come from the People’s Transportation Plan, a half-cent sales surtax approved by Miami-Dade County voters in 2002, while the Florida Department of Transportation is contributing $100 million.

The new Metrorail line is scheduled to open in 2012.