Regional Potential

"Untapped Regional Potential" by v. johns 1-15-08 at 8:35pm

One of the most basic goals of this site is to examine the conceptual perception of the Southeast Florida region as it relates to the structural planning and development of the land itself. At the heart of this notion that South Florida - as well as the state of Florida - is in danger of becoming a lost paradise, is the prime opinion that inter-regional mobility forms the very foundation of any region's vibrance and vitality. The mere idea of the "South Florida" brand, which has been improperly promoted as a three-county urban metroplex, is not enough to convince observers and outsiders that we are to be taken seriously as a premier regional center of excellence. This geographic branding and growing recognition of our actual seven-county commonwealth must be backed up by the one thing it not only needs and lacks but must eventually provide to compete with other national and international regions: excellent transportation.

The development of a true regional identity and a well-planned intermodal transportation system to back it up are not only vital to the region itself, but also to the state in which it is harbored. There is no question that the state of Florida is, in some ways, its own sovereign republic. The question is: Where does our region fit in? What role will we play? Will South Florida, with its many wealthy enclaves and clout, remain the premier flagship region of our state? Or will we cede our location and population advantages to increasingly more attractive competing regions in our state that are beginning to form - and are being planned - around Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville - and potentially Gainesville and Tallahassee? Like California, which makes its own deals with other countries, Florida's unique geographic proximity and connections to foreign countries in Latin America, the Caribbean and the Bahamas, as well, positions us in such a manner that we must also do the same - as we possess commerce and trade advantages and opportunities that other more inland states do not. Zooming in a little, we see that South Florida, especially Miami, our flagship city, with its increasingly busy airports and seaports, has always served as a gateway of sorts to Latin America. So much so, in fact, that it can actually be considered to be a part of Latin America - as it is often referred to as "the capital of Latin America."

In conclusion, getting back to the fundamental issue of regional transportation, once we have acquired the political will to demand and build a world-class transportation system for the South Florida Metropolitan Archipelago, this will only be the beginning. From there, our next challenge will be connecting our region with other regions throughout the state. From there, with the entire Eastern Seaboard of the United States of America from Florida to Maine. And from there, with Latin America and the rest of the world.