County Breaks Ground on Bus Rapid Transit South Corridor Project
June 4, 2021
Friday, June 4 marked an important day for transportation improvements in south Miami-Dade as Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works held the groundbreaking ceremony for the South Corridor Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project.
This project will take place along the 20 mile transitway parallel to US-1 between Dadeland South Metrorail Station and Florida City and will greatly improve the speed, efficiency and comfort of public transportation.
The project will include 14 newly constructed iconic rapid transit stations, improvements to the two end-of-line terminals at Dadeland South and SW 344 Street, and the rehabilitation of the 16 existing stations along the corridor. It will provide signal preemption for transit, offering an easy 60-minute ride from Homestead to Downtown Miami.
Additionally, the 14 BRT stations will be equipped with rail-like amenities that will include:
- Level boarding
- Off-board fare collection
- Real-time messaging for bus arrivals
- Closed circuit TV
- Free Wi-Fi
- Air-conditioned vestibules
- Emergency call boxes
- Bike racks
- Benches
- Device charging stations and more
The project is estimated to be completed in two years.
The groundbreaking event was attended by many government officials from the federal, state and local level—including Mayor Tim Meerbott; the Mayors of Pinecrest, Palmetto Bay, Homestead and Florida City; District 8 Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins; and Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.
“This {project} is about time with our families” stated Commissioner Cohen Higgins, who took the stage during the ceremony. “My mom has relied on our Miami-Dade public Transportation system for the last 20 years. I know firsthand how critically important it is to be able to move our residents quickly so that they can get to and from work.”
She also addressed some of the hurdles this project has faced, “It’s no secret that this project is not without controversy. I represent District 8—the residents have mixed feelings about this project. But we are thankful because we, in south Dade and in District 8, understand that we are not seeking perfection, but rather progress. And today marks a very large step towards progress.”
To learn more about this project, visit Miami-Dade County's website.
