Kendall transit can’t get started until report due in 2026 is analyzed

The Kendall corridor of the county’s program for new rapid transit remains on hold as data from a Flagler demonstration project is awaited to continue, and that data isn’t estimated to be ready until late 2026. The Flagler demonstration project isn’t even due to begin construction until July 2024.

The Kendall corridor is one of six that make up the Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit (Smart) Program, which aims to improve Miami-Dade’s transportation mobility. The Kendall corridor had initially begun with five alternatives and has since been narrowed to one.

“Now, there is one alternative that was recommended to move forward, and that alternative is a curbside business access transit lane,” said Nilia Cartaya, modal development administrator of the Florida Department of Transportation, which is handling the project.

However, the Kendall corridor is on hold until data from the Flagler demonstration project is analyzed. The project on Flagler has still not been constructed, and that process can take several years.

“The monitoring of the [Flagler demonstration] project will start in late 2025, and that’s because whenever you do a major transportation project, you always want to give a period of time for traffic to normalize because you don’t want that to skew your results,” Ms. Cartaya told Miami Today.

“Monitoring will start late 2025. It would be about a year’s worth of monitoring to gather enough data.”

The Kendall corridor’s effect on the county is still unknown because the Flagler project must first be constructed, monitored and measured, said Ms. Cartaya.

For now, South Florida drivers can look forward to the construction of the Flagler project in the summer of next year.

“We will have more public engagement opportunities prior to construction, during construction,” said Ms. Carataya, “you know, to make sure the public is informed. And, we will of course, try to minimize any impacts during the construction so that folks are, you know, can get through the corridor access.”