|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The People’s Transportation Plan (PTP) is the guiding force that lays out how funds from Miami-Dade County’s half-penny Surtax are invested in transit and transportation projects.
Born out of a vision that ever-increasing transit needs would require dedicated funding, the PTP was created in 2002 to add more buses and routes, improve service, expand rapid transit and create transportation and construction-related jobs.
Today the PTP’s Five-Year Implementation Plan incorporates the county’s Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit (SMART) Plan that will take public transportation to the far reaches of the urban development boundaries of Miami-Dade County.
The Citizens’ Independent Transportation Trust, a 15-member body created to act as the watchdog for the half-penny funds, provides fiduciary oversight and direction over what projects qualify for the PTP.
Each year, the PTP funds approximately 500 projects throughout Miami-Dade County and its municipalities from more than $4.4 billion in Surtax funds collected since its inception.
Metrobus
Miami-Dade County residents enjoy one of the most modern, clean and eco-friendly bus systems in the country.
The People’s Transportation Plan is funding the modernization of the entire fleet of more than 754 buses. Thanks to the PTP, Metrobus now operates 63 electric buses, 541 buses powered by Compressed Natural Gas, 82 fuel-efficient hybrid buses and 68 diesel-powered buses.
PTP funds also have made possible the expansion of the system along the busiest traffic corridors of the county, including express bus service on expressways.
Metrorail
Metrorail, the iconic nerve center of Miami-Dade County’s transit system, runs 25 miles through the heart of the county, from Dadeland in the south through Coconut Grove, to the downtown Government Center, Miami International Airport, and north to Hialeah.
Metrorail’s 23 stations are located at high-traffic commercial areas, including Dadeland, Brickell Avenue, Government Center and the Civic Center/Jackson Medical Complex on NW 12th Avenue. Metrorail offers connections to Broward and Palm Beach counties with transfers to Tri-Rail and Brightline.
The People’s Transportation Plan funded the 2.4-mile line “Orange Line” that provides convenient and affordable access to Miami International Airport to both residents and visitors.
The People’s Transportation Plan also funded the purchase of 136 state-of-the-art Metrorail cars equipped with the latest technology, as well as several infrastructure renewal projects to ensure and enhance the system’s performance and reliability.
Metromover
The People’s Transportation Plan funds an essential component of Miami-Dade Transit: fare-free Metromover service to all passengers. Leave your car behind. No parking hassles. Connect throughout downtown.
Metromover is an elevated people mover system that links the downtown Government Center to the Brickell Financial District on the south and the main campus of Miami-Dade College, the Adrienne Arsht Performing Arts Center and the Miami-Dade County Public Schools headquarters on the north. It operates three inter-connected loops with stops at 21 stations in the heart of Miami.
The People’s Transportation Plan also funded the 29 new Metromover cars that make up the system, as well as several infrastructure renewal projects to ensure and enhance the system’s performance and reliability.
Municipal Transit Services
Transit riders in many parts of Miami-Dade County have innovative local, fare-free options thanks to the People’s Transportation Plan. Municipal trolleys and fare-free on-demand rideshare vehicles, run by Freebee & Via/GoConnect, make it easy and convenient to get around neighborhoods. There are 24 municipalities that provide fixed route/circulator service, 16 that provide on-demand service, and 9 that provide both. These municipal transit services play an important role in filling out the “First and Last Mile” of transit – getting riders to their final destination.
For more information, visit: www.miamidade.gov/global/transportation-trust/ptp-five-year-plan.page
On-Demand Transportation
Freebee and Via/GoConnect, fare-free, on-demand ride share services funded by municipalities’ share of People’s Transportation Plan funds, operate 21 service areas throughout Miami-Dade County, featuring Tesla Model X cars, vans and electric vehicles.
Visit: https://ridefreebee.com/ and http://goconnect.miamidade.gov
Mobility Matters – It’s All About You
The People’s Transportation Plan has helped make transit faster, easier, cleaner, safer and cost-effective. It is also helping to ease mobility on our local roads.
Fare-Free Rides
Thanks to the PTP, the Metromover system serving Miami’s central business district is free to all riders, as are a majority of the municipal transit services, such as trolleys and Freebee.
The PTP also funds the Golden Passport and the Patriot Passport programs that allow seniors and low-income veterans to ride Metrorail and Metrobus free of charge.
These programs ensure freedom of mobility for our elder residents, those with disabilities and qualifying honorably-discharged veterans – all who rely on public transportation to get to work, school, doctor visits, shopping, visits with family and friends, and activities that connect them with their communities.
To enroll in the Golden Passport and Patriot Passport programs, please go to:
https://wwwx.miamidade.gov/Apps/DTPW/EasyCardServicesApp/Login/Login
A state-of-the-art traffic control center
Miami-Dade County is currently working to upgrade 2,900 intersections with intelligent hardware and software technology.
With the new Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS), these ‘smart signals’ will be able to rapidly adjust their timing according to traffic conditions and speeds, which will translate to County residents spending less time sitting in traffic.
As traffic volume increases and travel speeds decrease, the system increases green-light time for commuters. This new technology also allows the smart signals along a corridor to continuously communicate with each other to maintain optimal timing and coordination for traffic conditions.
Municipal Transportation Projects
The People’s Transportation Plan is about more than transit. It’s about traffic improvements and safety, Park-and-Ride facilities, pedestrian and bicycle paths, and the first-and-last mile connectivity that will get people to their final destination.
Since its inception through Fiscal Year 2022, the People’s Transportation Plan has invested $958 million in projects in Miami-Dade’s municipalities. In addition to the free trolleys and on-demand service, the PTP has funded speed calming devices, traffic circles, curb cuts, paved sidewalks and many additional transportation projects.
ABOUT US:
For more Miami community news, look no further than Miami Community Newspapers. This Miami online group of newspapers covers a variety of topics about the local community and beyond. Miami’s Community Newspapers offers daily news, online resources, podcasts and other multimedia content to keep readers informed. With topics ranging from local news to community events, Miami’s Community Newspapers is the ideal source for staying up to date with the latest news and happenings in the area.
This family-owned media company publishes more than a dozen neighborhood publications, magazines, special sections on their websites, newsletters, as well as distributing them in print throughout Miami Dade County from Aventura, Sunny Isles Beach, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Brickell, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest, South Miami, Kendall, Palmetto Bay, Cutler Bay and Homestead. Each online publication and print editions provide comprehensive coverage of local news, events, business updates, lifestyle features, and local initiatives within its respective community.
Additionally, the newspaper has exclusive Miami community podcasts, providing listeners with an in-depth look into Miami’s culture. Whether you’re looking for local Miami news, or podcasts, Miami’s Community Newspapers has you covered. For more information, be sure to check out: https://
If you have any questions, feel free to email Michael@
