Court to hear arguments on Feb. 9 in Miami-Dade toll road agency case

Florida's First District Court of Appeal will hear oral arguments on Feb. 9 in the lawsuit over the state's attempt to abolish the Miami-Dade County Expressway Authority. The court will hear arguments via video teleconferencing, according to a court filing.

"The argument is scheduled before Judges B. Thomas, Osterhaus, and M. K. Thomas, but the panel is subject to change," the court said in its posting.

"The court has allotted 20 minutes per side. Multiple appellants or appellees must share the allotted time and must notify the court at the beginning of oral argument how their side’s time will be divided."

Bloomberg News

The state Department of Transportation and House of Representatives have been appealing a 2019 decision by Leon County Circuit Judge John Cooper that said the state overstepped its authority in trying to abolish the agency, also known as MDX, and replace it with a newly created Greater Miami Expressway Agency, or GMX.

Cooper ruled the bill passed by the House and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to dissolve MDX violated the state constitution because it preempted Miami-Dade County's home rule power.

FDOT and the Florida House have filed an appeal asking the appellate justices to overturn Cooper's ruling. The appeal stayed Cooper's ruling and prevented the MDX board of directors from meeting or overseeing the authority’s work programs.

MDX operates a 33.6-mile expressway system. It includes the 15-mile-long Dolphin Expressway, which links the western parts of Dade County and the Miami International Airport to downtown Miami and Miami Beach. The authority also operates four other toll roads in the county.

According to the agency's latest financial report, MDX had $1.5 billion of toll revenue bonds outstanding as of June 30, 2020.