South Florida mass transit

[Urban_Legend]

I'm giddy with the prospect of new cars! They desperately needed an overhaul!

[Toucano]

Great Link to a study done in the Miami 21 plan...

http://www.miamigov.com/Planning/pages/mia...nettFleming.pdf

[Aessotariq]

It's great to see that they're already working on the transportation portion of Miami 21. That will probably make the most noticeable impact in the short-term. In the long-term, I would love to see the city's streetcar network integrated with other future potential loops throughout the county.

Related UrbanPlanet.org topics: |

[Urban_Legend]

I really liked the design of one of the sample streetcar stations. It had an interesting (suspended?) awning. Personally, I think the streetcar should run on Biscayne, since it will be the major "destination" thoroughfare through that area.

[Dale]

Perhaps I missed it, but aside from rehabbing the Metrorail cars, are there any plans to upgrade any of the stations ?

[Aessotariq]

I also heard that TV monitor were going to be added to all Metrorail stops to give more accurate arrival departure times, does anyone know if this is true?

The County's IT department is working on designing the information systems that will make a system like this possible. They could be monitors or (more likely) LED displays. We could see them up in a few short years.

Personally, I think the streetcar should run on Biscayne, since it will be the major "destination" thoroughfare through that area.

I think the goal is to build as much track as possible affordably without overlapping too many existing paths. The "Miami Streetcar" will run through the CBD in parts where there is no rail, filling in all the areas inside the Metromover Inner Loop. Currently the Metromover stops at all the major attractions on Biscayne. On top of that, the Metromover is free.

The Baylink project, not expected for 20 more years, will travel on Biscayne.

Perhaps I missed it, but aside from rehabbing the Metrorail cars, are there any plans to upgrade any of the stations ?

Not in the immediate future. There are, however, going to be several public meetings to discuss the designs of each new station to be built along the North Corridor. The designers will draw from public opinion and participation to create a unique station along each stop. The existing stations will, of course, receive the new display terminals when the system is ready.

[Aessotariq]

Here is an Idea of what it will look Like...

http://www.bombardier.com/index.jsp

Here are a few pics from the site... They don't differ much from the existing Metromover cars however the body style has been upgraded and is sleeker and less boxy.

[Aessotariq]

Posted on Wed, Jun. 08, 2005

TRANSPORTATION

County penny tax could face vote in 2006

In 2006, Broward voters may be deciding whether they think traffic will be bad enough over the next 25 years to consider paying for improvements with a one-cent increase in local sales taxes.

BY ERIKA BOLSTAD

[email protected]

Broward voters could decide in November 2006 whether they want to pay an additional penny in sales tax for transportation upgrades, such as a commuter train along Interstate 595 and faster express bus lines on major county streets.

The tax would be modeled after the half-cent sales tax increase passed by Miami-Dade voters in 2002 to pay for expansions to the Metrorail system and other transportation improvements.

It would generate an estimated $260 million a year for transit projects, and would bump up Broward's sales tax rate to seven cents for every dollar spent, the same as in Miami-Dade. [...]

On the county's wish list: $5 billion to nearly triple the number of buses to more than 700, and 90 miles of new commuter rail lines over the next 25 years. [...]

More: Miami Herald

Among Broward's proposed projects:

• U.S. 441 bus rapid transit: $190 million

• U.S. 441 light rail transit: $1 billion

• I-595 rail transit: $908 million

• Fort Lauderdale downtown light rail trolley: $95 million

• Pines/Hollywood Boulevard bus rapid transit: $350 million

• Oakland Park Boulevard bus rapid transit: $142 million

• University Drive bus rapid transit: $190 million

• Atlantic Boulevard bus rapid transit: $107 million

• FEC right-of-way rail transit: $775 million

• Sawgrass Expressway Bus Rapid Transit/Park-and-Ride: $283 million

[Urban_Legend]

Broward desparately needs the transit! Let's hope they vote in favor.

[Aessotariq]

Posted on Thu, Jun. 09, 2005

MIAMI-DADE TRANSIT

County's latest bailout plan may end Transit financial woes

Commissioners and County Mayor Carlos Alvarez appear ready to back the latest bailout plan for Miami-Dade Transit.

BY LARRY LEBOWITZ

[email protected]

Miami-Dade Transit's latest financial crisis appears to be drawing to a close.

A County Commission committee unanimously ratified a complicated plan Wednesday to let Transit ''borrow'' $118 million in half-cent sales-tax proceeds to cover old, current and future Transit deficits between now and 2011 and to repay the funds, plus $22.4 million in interest, by 2016.

County Mayor Carlos Alvarez, who vetoed a $143 million version of the Transit bailout plan in February, said Wednesday he conditionally supports the new plan because it helps to protect voters who supported the sales-tax campaign in 2002...

more: Miami Herald

[Urban_Legend]

I didn't know Miami-Dade was even having financial issues. With all the expansion projects going on, you'd think they'd be financially sound.

[Aessotariq]

Got my hands on some renderings of the Earlington Heights connector, the first major expansion project for Metrorail.

Some renderings of the elevated guideway:

The Earlington Heights Connector will branch off the existing track and head toward the Miami Intermodal Center (MIC).

This will allow MDT to implement different train services with varying destinations, such as a Dadeland to Palmetto train or a

Dadeland to Airport train. It is now more likely that the track would curve to the south at a point farther west, rather than at the

alignment shown.

It appears that plans for the North Corridor expansion are already underway. It looks like these existing support

columns have been prepared to accommodate the new guideways that will become the North Corridor. This picture

was taken at NW 75th Street and NW 27th Avenue, a few blocks north of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Metrorail station.

[Dale]

Isn't FTL starting its downtown light rail project soon ?

[Aessotariq]

Yes, the city of Fort Lauderdale is working on a downtown light rail project with Broward County, Tri-Rail (SFRTA), and FDOT.

Phase I of the downtown circulator will provide local service and will tie into a regional network that will cover the entire county. This map also shows water taxi routes along the New River:

Here's the entire proposed system for Broward County, which will tie into the Tri-Rail commuter rail line and provide connectivity with the transit systems in Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties.

[bobdreamz]

interesting find Aessotariq...at least they had the foresight to build these supports at the time of the original construction.

[bobliocatt]

Great updates. The new Metromover cars look great. I like Fort Lauderdale's plans, as well, but a part of me wishes that instead of just looping their lines, make one long line on Las Olas that would connect downtown to the beach and a N-S line that would connect downtown to the airport. Then a Tri-Rail line along FEC's tracks would connect all of South Florida's different systems.

[Urban_Legend]

^Yeah, your proposed N-S line could run along Andrews Avenue. That's where the transit (bus) hub is, and it's the main N-S road.

[Aessotariq]

Now that Broward County commissioners have approved placing a one-cent sales tax for transit projects on the ballot, they will now select a 21-member panel to prioritize the major transit projects slated, if the tax is approved by voters in 2006.

As the second-largest transit agency in Florida serving this state's second-largest county, Broward County Transit is still currently only one-third the size of the Miami-Dade Transit, the largest by far. If this sales tax is passed, BCT plans to expand bus service by tripling its fleet over the next 25 years, from 275 buses to about 900 (MDT's present size), and increasing its annual operating budget from about $100 million to $300 million.

In addition to increasing existing bus service, BCT proposes to add over 90 miles of light rail throughout the county. The sales tax provides the local funding source required to become eligible for federal matching funds. Plans also include bus rapid transit routes on several select north-south and east-west corridors and increased connectivity with Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties.

more: Miami Herald

[Aessotariq]

Perhaps the most successful project to come from the municipal portion of Miami-Dade County's PTP tax has been the Coral Gables Trolley. Ridership has been free. Now the city of Coral Gables is considering creating a special taxing district to fund and expand the system.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/...st/12090744.htm

[Aessotariq]

CSX has issued a formal apology to Tri-Rail riders for the delays that have been occurring with Tri-Rail trains. SFRTA has blamed CSX for dispatching freight trains during rush hour, agreement established agreements, causing some commuter trains to run as much as an hour late.

The Florida Department of Transportation owns the tracks that Tri-Rail operates on, but CSX Transportation is responsible for dispatch.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/con...irail_0715.html

A letter from SFRTA

The apology

[Brickell]

I just saw a small article in last weeks paper that the South Miami "trolley" bus has been cancelled. This really isn't a surprise. The route was awful, it only ran on friday and saturday and the bus, sorry, "trolley" was an ugly behemoth.

They are in talks with Coral Gables to expand their very succussful trolley bus system to South Miami. We'll see where that goes.

[Aessotariq]

Coral Gables Trolley:

South Miami behemoth:

[Aessotariq]

A citizen review panel is being created to oversee the study that may eventually bring Tri-Rail service to the FEC corridor. The FEC railroad runs through the most populated parts of South Florida as well as through the three major downtowns.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/con...b_mpo_0714.html

[dave8721]

I just saw a small article in last weeks paper that the South Miami "trolley" bus has been cancelled.  This really isn't a surprise.  The route was awful, it only ran on friday and saturday and the bus, sorry, "trolley" was an ugly behemoth.

They are in talks with Coral Gables to expand their very succussful trolley bus system to South Miami.  We'll see where that goes.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It was also useless because the area it covers is so small, and it never ran. I live in downtown South Miami and I never took the trolley once because I could walk from my apartment to anywhere that the trolley goes. The only use I could think of for it would have been to take people from the ghetto area to the northwest of the metro-rail station into the downtown area east of US-1. But I guess people from that area weren't using it. All the times I saw the trolley go by, I never once saw a passenger on it.

[Aessotariq]

Not sure how I missed this. There has been an amendment recently passed to the People's Transportation Plan. Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez signed an ordinance recommended by the County Manager and adopted by the County Commission which will increase transit funding from the county's general fund while keeping PTP surtax funds earmarked solely for new projects. The mayor had vetoed an earlier ordinance passed by the commission that would have used PTP funding to pay for deficits that had accumulated at Transit.

http://www.local10.com/news/4740421/detail.html

Haven't had a chance to read it fully, but the ordinance can be found here:

http://www.miamidade.gov/govaction/matter....earFolder=Y2005

Here was a supplemental report included in the record:

http://www.miamidade.gov/govaction/matter....earFolder=Y2005