New courthouse

I really appreciated Miami-Dade Commisioner Sally Heyman's position on getting a new courthouse. For Miami-Dade residents, it is the journey that needs to be fixed as much as the destination.

Horrible traffic is not a necessary component of jury duty. If we truly want to improve our courts we need to localize them. For the south, just build on the existing courthouse near Southland Mall. For the north, do an equivalent. Rebuild a smaller, cheaper courthouse in Miami.

There is a reality that needs to be faced. The southern end of the county goes over 380 blocks south of Flagler Street. Miami is nowhere near the center. We need fairness and equity for the jurors as well as the tried.

This story was originally published January 5, 2016 at 6:38 PM with the headline "New courthouse."