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Today, Miami-Dade Transit will break ground on a 2.4-mile Metrorail extension from the Earlington Heights station to the Miami Intermodal Center, which is being built next to Miami International Airport.

Scheduled to open in 2012, the Metrorail MIC Connector is "the county's most significant construction project since the opening of the original Metrorail system," according to Miami-Dade Transit. The majority of the $526 million line will be funded through a half-cent sales tax approved by voters in 2002 as part of the People's Transportation Plan. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) also will contribute $100 million toward the project.

FDOT is overseeing construction of the Miami Intermodal Center, which will link Metrorail, bus, Tri-Rail, Amtrak and car rental services. Passengers will connect to the airport via a people mover.

The ground-breaking isn't all Miami-Dade Transit will be celebrating in May. The agency will mark the 25th anniversary of Metrorail service later this month.