Greater Miami Expressway Agency
The Greater Miami Expressway Agency is an independent agency governed by the state of Florida. Since 1997, GMX has operated and maintained five expressways that run within the county.
All five expressways are all electronic toll roads, requiring the use of SunPass or a "toll-by-plate" program and does not accept cash, and the free movement sections were removed. The Gratigny Parkway, Don Shula and Snapper Creek Expressways became all electronic in 2010, while the Airport and Dolphin Expressways were converted in 2014.
History
Beginnings (1994–2018)
In December 1994, the state of Florida along with the Miami-Dade County commission created the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority. This gave the county full control of five toll-road expressways that were formerly under the control of the Florida Department of Transportation. Those were the Gratigny Parkway, Airport Expressway, Dolphin Expressway, Don Shula Expressway, and the Snapper Creek Expressway. Control took effect in 1997.Since then, MDX has completed projects both independently and in collaboration with FDOT most notably the western expansion on the Dolphin Expressway in 2004 and the Dolphin–Palmetto Interchange in 2009.
Takeover by the state (2019-present)
Problems began to arise in 2014 when MDX doubled its toll-enforcement. This caused backlash by many.In 2017, then State Representative Jeanette Nunez pushed a law ordering MDX to reduce its tolls.
In 2019, the state took over MDX.
In August 2023, a judge ruled that operations are to be taken over by GMX. Since then, MDX leaders have been fighting to regain control.
Markings
All GMX highways use the shield-shaped signs reserved by FDOT for toll roads, with the GMX logo attached below the shield. In addition, all GMX highways use a uniquely designed mileage marker. Instead of the green "MILE XX" markers commonly seen on Interstate Highways, the five GMX expressways use blue mileage markers featuring : a single letter indicating the direction of travel, the State Road designation of the highway, and two numbers separated by a horizontal line. These markers are placed on the edge of the shoulder every along the expressway. The Gratigny Parkway has two of these.Prior to the removal of free movement sections, on portions of a GMX route where no tolls are ahead, the TOLL in the green section of the TOLL shield was removed.