A Miami Herald investigation in January 2005 found that
Miami-Dade Transit cannot afford to build, operate and maintain two-thirds of
the Metrorail corridors promised to voters when they approved a half-cent sales
tax in 2002, including the expansion of metro rail towards Florida City.
According to this investigation in 2002 the county failed to inform the voters
that there were fewer prospects for federal money than forecast; however a
recent report after the County revised their plans and issued a long term
transportation plan shows that improvements planned throughout Miami-Dade County
-- may come up more than $200 million short in state and federal matching funds
over the next 30 years. The Miami Herald investigation also reveled that an
existing deficit was not discussed during the campaign and declining fare
revenues were to be blamed. Circumstances have drastically changed since Miami
Herald published the report according to Miami Transit June 2005 ridership is
showing an increase over June 2004, from 8.2 million to 8.3 million boardings.
Parking at all of its bus park and ride lots also went up right after the first
big spike in gas prices in August. Overall, the system has enjoyed a 25.6%
ridership increase in the last three years, following the adoption of a
half-percent sales surtax dedicated to transportation improvements. In May of
2005 ten of the 13 commissioners approved raising Metrobus and Metromover prices
from $1.25 to $1.50. Reduced fares, available to Medicare recipients, disabled
people and Miami-Dade students, will rise from 60 cents to 75 cents. The
increases, which took effect in May 2005, are expected to add about $25.4
million revenue through 2006 to operate the transit system.
There have also been reports of mismanagement and safety
concerns, it was reported earlier this year that some Miami-Dade County transit
drivers are working dozens of hours of overtime each week, more than doubling
their pay, but raising questions about safety.
There are only three continuous roadway facilities in the
South Miami-Dade region (Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike, US 1, Krome
Avenue), according to a report published by the Miami-Dade County titled
"South Link, Purpose and Need" South Dade (for the purpose of the
report South Dade is Miami Dade County south of Kendall drive) has 14 bus routes
representing 1 bus route per 37,000 persons. These 14 routes put 30 buses per
hour into service, which equates to 1 bus per 14,000 persons. The report
suggests that poor coverage and frequency does not encourage people to ride with
public transportation (thus more cars on the road). To compound this on April
18th the County Commission is going to take up the issue of changing the Urban
Development Boundaries (UDB). If thousands of more houses are build South of
Cutler Bay and if major places of employment are north of Cutler Bay, US1 and
the turnpike will be gridlocked. United Citizens for South Link has therefore
extended its support to The Urban Environment League of Greater Miami, who is
fighting to keep the UDB from being changed.
Of all the transportation corridors the South Corridor is
the largest. Population wise it is the fastest growing. Overall population
growth in Miami Dade County between the years 2000 and 2030 is expected to be
about 34%. The population growth in South Dade during the same period will be
about 83%. South Dade pays much of the ½ cent tax (total of $169 million per
year) is financing the northern and east-west projects that are already
underway. While projects are going ahead in other areas, metrorail extension to
South Miami-Dade will be considered for financing in the year 2016 and may start
by 2030. South Dade would never have approved the ½ penny tax had they known
that they would be paying for Broward residents to have the convenience of
catching the train to work in Miami or to go to Miami International Airport and
South Dade residents will have to wait till the year 2030 and beyond for the
same convenience.
A new political action committee (PAC) has been formed and
registered with the County, United Citizens for South Link (UCSL) to support and
advocate the earlier completion of public transportation projects, including the
promised Metrorail project along US1 from Dadeland South metrorail station to
Florida City.
UCSL website: http://metrorailsouth.com