Miami-Dade County announces initiative to enhance transportation infrastructure and services thanks in part to Biden administration's infrastructure funding

Today, the Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW), along with Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24), announced a new initiative aimed at prioritizing projects and programs that improve service, reliability, and safety; enhance the customer experience; and provide safe and convenient mobility options.

The initiative, funded in part by the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), was announced at a press conference held by Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24) to celebrate the historic infrastructure funding that will be provided to Miami-Dade County and Florida’s 24th Congressional District.

“Today is a great day for Miami-Dade County, the largest county in Florida’s 24^th Congressional District, as we mark the most historic investment in our nation’s infrastructure to date: the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act,” said Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson.

As part of this initiative, DTPW is working on a number of service and infrastructure improvements to advance strategic priorities stemming from the County’s Thrive305 Action Plan. These include the Metromover System Improvement Project, the enhancement of the Metrorail System’s Maintenance Program, a Bus Shelter Expansion Project, and several projects aimed at improving transit service communications for riders.

“Improving our public transit system is one of my top priorities,” said Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “I am grateful to the Biden administration, Congresswoman Wilson and all of our federal partners. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act allows us to accelerate transit improvements and the goal of delivering the best transportation experience for our community.”

Due to the age of the system, Metromover riders have experienced frequent service disruptions on all three system loops in recent years. As such, the Metromover System Improvement Project will replace and repair the system to improve reliability. This new project, which will begin this summer, will replace the signaling communication (which makes it possible for DTPW to have more information about where the trains are and how they’re performing), modernize mechanical parts, and significantly upgrade the system’s control center.  The estimated completion of this major overhaul is the summer of 2025.

The department has also enhanced its Metrorail Maintenance Program. The on-going maintenance program’s focus is to replace and modernize Metrorail track components. These efforts have been accelerated and are critical to improving Metrorail service because the upgrades to the track components will ultimately lead to fewer service disruptions and delays, as well as increase service reliability, and safety.

“We have already begun to advance several projects and programs that modernize our aging infrastructure, improve service reliability, and support our existing transit services for the residents and visitors of Miami-Dade County,” said Eulois Cleckley, Director and CEO of the Miami-Dade Department of Transportation and Public Works. “We understand that this work may temporarily inconvenience riders in the short-term, but the long-term benefits will significantly improve our existing system.”

As part of the Bus Shelter Expansion project, 360 new bus shelters and 200 bicycle pads will be installed throughout the County by June 2023. Currently 100 shelters are on schedule to be installed by fall of 2022. Providing shelter from the elements along with a safer, cleaner, more appealing, and better lit area for bus riders provides a better customer experience – one of the department’s priorities.

 DTPW is working on several projects aimed at enhancing customer experience by improving transit service communications. These projects include the complete upgrade of the Metrorail real-time arrival screens – which is already in progress and expected to be completed this year; text-to-ETA options for bus riders; improvements to information provided through service updates and rider alert systems; as well as a planned Metromover Next Train Arrival Screen Modernization project which will resolve all existing non-working or partially working Public Address and Electronic Signage at all impacted Metromover stations.

In the interim, DTPW will be installing temporary signage on Metromover vehicles to address rider confusion resulting from non-functioning electronic signs, as well as additional Metrorail station platform signage to clearly indicate which track trains will service during single track operation.

Details on this initiative will be available online soon. All of the projects identified, planned, and implemented will improve public transportation services and infrastructure so that County residents and visitors can enjoy a safe, clean, efficient, reliable, sustainable, and equitable transportation system.

Plan your trip on transit or track your bus or train in real time via the GO Miami-Dade Transit app. To purchase Miami-Dade Transit fare products, visit the Transit Store or download the GO Miami-Dade Transit app. Transit riders can also pay for parking via the PayByPhone app.

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