Miami-Dade County commissioners gave preliminary approval to extend the 836 highway Wednesday.
After an all-day hearing at the county's commission chambers, commissioners voted 9-2 to expanding the 836 highway - particularly in the Kendall area - to help ease traffic congestion and bring some relief to commuters.
The new Kendall Parkway extension would run north to south, commissioners said. The expressway would be located west of 167th avenue from the Tamiami Trail to SW 136th Street. The parkway would pass through busy neighborhood thoroughfares that are often conjested including Kendall Drive, Sunset and Miller.
Kendall Parkway would also include lanes for express, transit and bus service, officials said.
"We don't have many ways to leave West Kendall, other than Kendall Drive, 104, 154, those streets lead us to the Turnpike," said one local resident. "I used to work by the airport. If I left at 5:30, I wouldn't get home until 7:30 or 7:45."
Although many residents have complained about traffic on the 836, not everyone is in support of an extension. Critics say expanding the highway would exasperate the problem, and that more roads mean more cars.
"I'm against this idea because it will increase traffic over time," said Steven Portal. "We have a lack of public transportation out in West Kendall, I live there."
