" (Office of National Drug Control Policy, 2009) The Office of National Drug Control Policy states that Miami is "considered a "high-demand" destination for designer drugs and is a transshipment point between the suppliers in Europe and organizations in South America. Marijuana remains readily available in South Florida. The increasing role of small-grow operations and indoor hydroponics operations is adding to the drug's supply." (Office of National Drug Control Policy, 2009)
The drug trade combined with money laundering and cash smuggling as well as a host of other illegal gang-related activities make South Florida "...a transportation and financial center vulnerable for exploitation by criminal organizations. South Florida remains as a significant command and control center for international narcotics trafficking organizations; is an international hub for drug traffickers and money launderers from Central America, South America, and the Caribbean; and has been identified as having the country's second largest concentration of Russian and Eurasian immigrants and proportionate career criminals and organized crime." (Office of National Drug Control Policy, 2009)
Layoffs Expected
It was reported December 19th, 2008 that American Airlines had plans for layoffs at Miami International Airport. AMR, parent company of American Airlines is stated to have approximately 9,000 employees at the Miami International Airport. The company has been hard hit by high gas prices and the economy resulting in AMR announcing "thousands of job cuts, double-digit reduction in capacity percentage and the retirement of 75 to 85 gas-guzzling planes." (Frogameni, 2008)
Infrastructure Challenges
To answer the need for a solution to improve the Miami National Airport a major intermodal hub was designed. The work of Marie-Elise Dowell entitled: "Simulating Traffic Operations" states as follows:
"Traffic congestion in Miami-Dade County has been a concern for citizens and transportation agencies for several years. It continues to worsen because of the county's continuous and rapid increase in population, particularly in its suburban areas. Concerns about airport congestion go hand-in-hand with those related to roadway congestion. Located at the southeastern tip of the U.S., Miami has been called the Gateway to South America." (Dowell, nd)
Dowell goes on to relate that the Miami-Dad Aviation Department has "...developed a $6 billion capital improvement program for the next twenty years to address the airport congestion concerns." (ND) Two primary goals are the focus of the program:
(1) Improve access to the airport;
(2) Increase airport's capacity to meet the ever-increasing demand. (Dowell, ND) These goals are also stated to provide challenges since the increase of airport capacity "...would also increase travel to and from the airport, taxing the already deficient roadway system." (Dowell, ND) Not only were the costs stated to be "prohibitive...the airport is surrounded by major freeways, arterials, office buildings and airport related facilities." (Dowell, ND)
Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), the MIC is being developed as two major facilities stated to be those of:
(1) Rental Car Facility. This facility will consolidate the entire major rental car agencies scattered throughout the area into a 7,500-space parking facility that provides full rental car services. It will include customer service counters, administrative offices, return car lot, employee parking, and service maintenance areas; and (2) The MIC Core. Adjacent to the rental car facility, the MIC core will house limited passenger ticketing and baggage claim, as well as other non-airport land uses, such has hotel, shopping, and employment. Rail and bus stations as well as taxi and cruise bus staging areas are also incorporated into the MIC in order to provide connections to the local and...
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