Contract marks the first step in approving nearly $600M system across MacArthur Causeway.

Plans for a monorail between the city of Miami and Miami Beach took a step forward on Tuesday.

In spite of calls for a deferral from Miami Beach, the Miami-Dade County Commission approved a contract of up to $14 million with Genting Group and Meridiam Infrastructure North America Corp. to study the feasibility of building the monorail within a year to 18 months. The commission would vote on a final plan and contract after the feasibility study is completed, according to a spokesperson for the project.