May: MTA removed all fare boxes from bus vehicles and instituted an "exact change" policy.
1971
The completed MUATS studies recommended an $800 million rapid transit system, and public hearings on the entire transportation plan began.
1972
For the first time in its history, MTA received a subsidy derived from the seven-cent gas tax revenues as a result of action by the state legislature during the previous year. Prior to this, MTA operated solely on fare-box revenues.
The voters of Dade County approved, by a two to one margin, a $132.5 million "Decade of Progress" bond issue to provide the local share for rapid transit construction plus expanded bus service to support the system.
1973
Seventy-four Flexible buses were purchased.
John A. Dyer was appointed Transportation Coordinator for Metropolitan Dade County's Office of Transportation Administration (OTA).
1974
October 1: The Metro Transit Authority was dissolved and National City Management Co. was dismissed, resulting in Dade County taking control of the bus system. The new county department was to be known as the Metro Transit Agency.
Residents of Dade County strongly opposed the planned study for construction of six new expressways. These plans were later dropped from the transportation plan.
1975
August 31: The Coral Gables Transit System merged with Dade County as part of the Metro Transit Agency.
Preliminary engineering of a rapid transit system was completed.
The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) made a commitment in principle to pay 80% of the costs for construction of the Stage I Rapid Transit System.
April: The Urban Mass Transportation Administration (UMTA) announced a nationwide competition for funding downtown people movers (DPM) in urban areas. More than 65 cities expressed interest; eleven, including Miami-Dade County, were selected as finalists.
December: Miami-Dade County received conditional approval to pursue its DPM plan based on reprogramming $24 million from approved Metrorail funds to the people mover project.
Dade County's population reached over 1.4 million. The Urban Mass Transportation Administration (UMTA) of USDOT officially committed $575 million to cover its 80% share of construction costs for Stage I, 16.5 miles of track running from Dadeland to NW 67 Street.
The State of Florida and Dade County agree to split the remaining 20% of construction costs. The Florida legislature appropriated $2.1 million as part of a total state commitment of $72 million.
UMTA authorized the final engineering for an additional 4 mile segment to Hialeah.
Dade County officials requested an additional $57 million from UMTA for the four-mile extension to Hialeah, which agreed to add a $2 million contribution from the city.
Late in the year, a group of citizens petitioned the County Commission for a referendum to stop all further spending on the rapid transit system. The issue was put on the ballot for March 1978.
December: UMTA administrator, Richard S. Page, reaffirmed UMTA's commitment to the Miami-Dade County DPM project.
January: MTA's North Division, 5901 NW 27 Avenue, opened with service capability for 100 buses.
MTA initiated two-way radio communications aboard all buses.
Thirty Flexible buses were purchased.
The first of 30 RICO 20-seat minibuses were purchased.
March: After a hard-fought campaign, the citizens of Dade County reaffirmed their desire for a balanced transportation system by voting down an attempt to repeal the bonds approved in 1972.
May: UMTA approved funds for preliminary engineering, and a request for proposals was distributed.
July: County Commissioners approved a Transportation Master Plan for the year 2000, which included eventual extensions of the rapid transit lines northeast to 193rd Street near the Broward County line, south to Cutler Ridge, and west to the Midway Mall area with a link to Miami International Airport.
October: The Board of County Commissioners approved the award of contracts for preliminary engineering to Gannet Fleming/SKBB, a joint venture of Gannet Fleming Corddry & Carpenter Inc. of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and SKBB of Coral Gables.
October: MTA's South Division, 10830 SW 211 Street, began operation with service capability for 100 buses.
January: The Board of County Commissioners created the Downtown People Mover Policy Committee (DPMPC) to aid in the decision-making necessary during preliminary engineering. Included were representatives of interested public bodies (Dade County, the city of Miami, Downtown Development Authority), private organizations (Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Merchants Association), civic organizations, and the general public.
March: The full system DPM alignment was adopted after a public hearing held jointly by the Metro-Dade Board of County Commissioners and the city of Miami Commission.
April: An agreement between Dade County and the Florida East Coast Railroad for transference of 9.5 miles of the right-of-way for Metrorail's south line was ratified by the Interstate Commerce Commission, and FEC began removal of the tracks.
May: UMTA committed $19.2 million in federal funds to the DPM project.
June: Stage I of the DPM system, with an estimated cost of $76 million, and a change in the Miami River crossing were approved at another joint public hearing.
June: Groundbreaking for the Stage I system was held at the site of the University Station. The system would be known as Metrorail, and would feature 17 stations initially, with two more to be added with the extension to Hialeah.
