South Dade rapid transit will be rapid in only one direction
South Dade Transitway promises may exceed what users will get: it won’t offer true Bus Rapid Transit all the time, the Citizens’ Independent Transportation Trust heard last week.
The 20-mile route targets a 60-minute ride each way with signal preemption parallel to US 1.
But as trust member Robert Ruano asked how the BRT will cross 46 road intersections on the 14-station trip between Homestead and Dadeland, Alex Barrios, assistant director for construction of Transportation and Public Works, explained that BRT will not stop for cars crossing – but only going one direction.
Buses north at morning rush hour will have no stops for cars – but not buses going south. In the evening, the priorities will reverse, Mr. Barrios said. “The bus rapid transit service is in the direction of rush hour.”
Trust Executive Director Javier Betancourt asked for a full explanation of all BRT service details. The trust is the watchdog for the half-percent sales tax earmarked for new transportation. County spending of those taxes needs trust approval.
“We were sold on gold standard BRT and sometimes some of the things I hear don’t imply that this is gold standard any longer,” he said.
Mr. Ruano noted that Metrorail wouldn’t have been at grade level so trains could run both directions at maximum speed. The debated decision to use BRT rather than rail ended with vows that with enough riders ground-level BRT could be converted to rail.
Two express bus routes and one local bus route will use the two-lane Transitway starting this month. When BRT begins next year, however, the local route and BRT will share the road, with BRT able to pass local buses, said Linda Morris, transit’s chief of service planning and scheduling.
The new service is to have 100% electric buses, making it “one of the longest and cleanest BRT corridors in the country,” transit Director Eulois Cleckley told the trust in April.
Olis Buchanan
July 4, 2023 at 9:13 am
So it begins. Yet another broken promise. There is a word for this, it’s called BRT Creep, Services are slowly dismantled and the system becomes a regular bus.
Mike Hiscano
July 4, 2023 at 2:35 pm
BRT is such a waste of time, resources and doesn’t solve the problem of actually having rapid transit to Homestead. Put rails down and build an electric powered light rail trolley system where it ought to be.
F. Cabrera
July 5, 2023 at 3:32 pm
At this point a light electric trolley would be the best solution. Would have been better if it had been elevated which would mean no traffic interruption.
Mark
July 5, 2023 at 6:58 am
Not surprised here. We always het promised one thing from the county and are given scraps by the time it’s done.
Jarod Railley
July 5, 2023 at 10:58 am
Man. The county really screwed the south corridor with this deal.
I don’t ever comment on news articles, but this really makes my blood boil. What a sham.
Raidel
July 5, 2023 at 6:01 pm
I’m not surprised. This is the norm for miami. So disappointing.
Cindy Lerner
July 7, 2023 at 10:29 am
I thought I must be reading The Onion !
No seriously this can’t be happening and can’t be acceptable! Where is the accountability and credibility in this County?
Barry Johnson
July 9, 2023 at 9:25 am
The old South Dade bait and switch strikes again. What should have been a train is now something less that what was promised with a one way rapid express. This time the situation is far more dire as South Dade in undergoing massive home construction. The is not a mass transit solution for the future.
Bill Wheeler
July 13, 2023 at 5:30 pm
With 34 years of Elevated Rail experiance help me understand BRT.
East/West traffic must Stop, idle and wait each time a north/south vehicle passes. So at 6 minute rush hour headways, each of the 46 intersections will be interupted at 3 minute intervals?
A rail car holds 175 people, multiply that by 2 or 4 per consist. How many busses are needed to match the capacity of a 4 car train?
Rail cars have a lifespan of 30 to 50 years, busses are worn out at 12 years.
Elevated rail encourages economic growth, BRT hinders quality if life with increases traffic.
Good luck with your BRT.
PRIVATE
August 2, 2023 at 3:36 pm
It’s all about lining the pockets of Engineering firms with studies of studies of studies of studies billing billing and delivering WASTEFUL SPENDING FALSE PROMISES! EMPTY BUSES TRAVEL ON THE TURNPIKE (GARAGE) …..Destination waste waste waste waste!!!!!
Shame Shame SHAME!!
WE NEED TO PRIVATIZE TRANSIT LET ELON MUSK RUN IT!!!