Triangle leaders travel to Miami for inspiration for commuter rail :: WRAL.com

50 AT 10 O’CLOCK AND WRAL AT >> WE ARE ALL OVER THIS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MARK. MORE THAN 80 PEOPLE FROM THE TRIANGLE ARE IN SOUTH FLORIDA TO SEE COMMUTER RAIL OPTIONS IN PERSON. WR IS BRYAN MIMS IS TRAVELING WITH THE GROUP TO SEE WHAT HAS WORKED IN SOUTH FLORIDA AND HOW IT MIGHT WORK HERE. AND THE CITY OF GLEAMING HIGH RISES AND CONGESTED HIGHWAYS, A CITY WHERE PEOPLE GET AROUND NOT ONLY IN THEIR CARS BUT ON SMOOTH RIDING TRAINS AND FAST-MOVING BUSES. THAT’S WHY MAYORS, COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PLANNERS HAVE COME SOUTH TO BASKET. >> AND TRANSPORTATION INSPIRATION >> SUNRISE OVER FORT LAUDERDALE, ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER TAP ON THE BRAKES COMMUTE ALONG I-NINETY-FIVE AND ITS LABYRINTH OF FREEWAY. ALL SHOES. MOST DRIVERS STILL TRAVEL SINGLE ON THESE MULTI LANES. BUT IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THAT WAY. INSTEAD OF I-NINETY-FIVE. LET’S HOP ON THE TRAIN, THE TRI RAIL TRAIN OR OUT THAT BEGAN IN 1989. IT’S MORE THAN 70 MILES LONG AND LINKS WEST PALM BEACH TO THE MIAMI AIRPORT. AMONG THOSE GETTING ON BOARD NOW, RALEIGH MAYOR MARY-ANN BALDWIN AND DURHAM MAYOR ELAINE O’NEAL AND MELODY LAY FROM A LOCAL WHO RIDES THE TRAIN TO DOWNTOWN MIAMI ABOUT TWICE A TRAFFIC. WE ALL KNOW THE TRIANGLE IS GROWING NEXT. JOE DE LA SOUL OF THE TRIANGLE’S REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION ALLIANCE, WHICH HOSTED THIS TRIP TO SEE HOW SOUTH FLORIDA ROLES THEY’VE GOT COMMUTER RAIL, INNER CITY RAIL BUS, RAPID TRANSIT. THEY’VE GOT A VARIETY OF MOBILITY OPTIONS AND THEY HAD A GREAT EXPERIENCE IS WE WANT TO LEARN FROM THEM. AFTER ALL TRIANGLE LEADERS ARE PROPOSING A 37 MILE LONG COMMUTER LINE OF THEIR OWN. IF ALL GOES AS PLANNED, THE REGION COULD BE RIDING THE RAILS BY THE END OF THE DECADE. BUT TRANSIT PLANS INVARIABLY COME WITH BUMPS IN THE ROAD. YOU JUST GOT TO BE DETERMINED IN RALEIGH’S. MAYOR IS NOTHING IF NOT DETERMINED. >> PEOPLE CAN’T LOVE WHAT THEY CAN’T SAY. MANY PEOPLE ON THE STRIP HAVE NOT LIVED IN URBAN AREAS WHERE COMMUTER RAIL WAS COMMENT. I REALLY BELIEVE THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER THAT WE CAN COME TOGETHER. THAT’S WHAT THESE FLORIDA OFFICIALS ARE DRIVING HOME TO THEIR NORTH CAROLINA GUESTS GIVE EACH AND EVERY ENTITY A PIECE OF RESPONSIBILITY AND KEEP AND MAKE SURE YOU SIGNIFY YOU CANNOT BE DIVIDE AND CONQUER. YOU’VE GOT TO STICK WITH YOUR PLAN. BACK TO THE TOUR. WE STOP AT A PARK CALLED THE UNDERLINE THE LEAFY PLACE WITH TRAILS AND AN OUTDOOR GYM ALL DESIGNED BENEATH THE ELEVATED METRO RAIL IN DOWNTOWN MIAMI. >> IT’S A CROWD FAVORITE, A FITTING PLACE TO FOR A CROWD PICTURE. >> AND TO DREAM OF WHAT MIGHT BE. >> THE ALLIANCE HOPES THIS TRIP NOT ONLY INSPIRES THE GROUP BUT EMBOLDENS EVERYONE TO GO HOME. AND GET ON BOARD. BRYAN MIMS, WRAL NEWS, MIAMI.