Riding through Miami

BY CAROLINA CASTRO, THE SCENE EDITOR AND AVA VOLMAN, OPINION EDITOR

IN MIAMI, A CITY OF OVER 400,000 people, mobility is vital to sustaining development. From the consistent two-hour rush hour bearer to the spontaneous weekend warrior, the need to get around is felt all over. New York may be the city that never sleeps, but Miami is the city that cannot stay put.

Considering the entire United States, public transportation is often met with skepticism by the car-centric masses and a population historically known for a lack of enthusiasm when it comes to big government projects and proximity to one’s neighbor.

Due to this perception, only a handful of cities have developed a comprehensive system of transport, and countries with fractions of resources have stayed decades ahead.

However, within this handful of cautionary tales, there is Miami’s almost-there public transportation system with a definite public interest in it.

With the Miami-Dade Metrorail, Tri-Rail and Metrobus system, the potential for a convenient and sustainably connected Miami does exist. The issue is not over-creating nor destroying but simply improving to meet a public need.

There already is a demand for better public transport. The catalyst for improvement is almost always a cry for change, and Miami residents are ready for this change. From students to commuters, there is a need for a refined public transport system in the city.

“I think the public transportation system is doing great, ” freshman Paula Guerrero said. “It does need some improvement in certain areas.”

However, these resources lack connectivity. Alone, each form of transport is somewhat effective, but if public transport became more cohesive, the effectiveness of this system would increase tenfold.

The state of public transportation is close to being great. Now, it is up to Miami’s decision-makers and taxpayers to recognize this shift in social tendencies and keep Miami moving.

DISCONNECT IN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

Miami is an ever-growing city of commuters seeking to optimize their time on the road. Despite previously focusing on the expansion of public transport, Miami has not lived up to its promise of improving the system, instead promoting projects strictly dedicated to helping road traffic, rather than funding its alternatives.

According to a recent study conducted by Florida International University, around 80% of residents rely on cars for transportation, whether it be through ride-share apps or their own means. As new roads and highways are sponsored to support this dependency, they are filled up just as quickly as they are built. Urban scientists involved in the study state that better public transport will be necessary in the future for economic growth.

An idea understood in 1896, Miami spent its early years building up its infrastructure and systems of public transport, allowing for a variety of opportunities ahead. Starting with streetcars spanning city-wide in the early 1900s, Miami was accessible, allowing for movement from all corners.

Following the Labor Day Hurricane in 1935, a campaign was run that successfully stripped the city of its streetcar transport, which was replaced by buses established by the privately owned Miami Transit Company. By 1960, all commercial transport companies were unified under one countywide service, leading to larger funding for public transport.

With dreams of a high-speed future ahead, voters continued supporting the growth of programs that would contribute to improved services, though their efforts were largely halted after the Metrorail system was adopted.

Following the establishment and expansion of the Metrorail and Metromover in 1994, Miami-Dade County thought it would be better to put money toward more highways and improved road systems. While this was beneficial to many, reliance on cars and individual means of getting around the city was becoming more prevalent, with those reliant on public transportation left wondering what was to come next.

Initiatives such as the Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit program, implemented in 2016, claimed to fix this. The SMART program promises to prioritize all policies on the advancement of rapid transit corridors, despite taking little action to do so.

Currently, only a half-penny surtax is credited to the Metrobus’ twenty-four hour service under the People’s Transportation Plan.

Additionally, the Metrorail was only expanded an insignificant 2.4 miles to the Miami International Airport, while the Metromover carries on moving exclusively between Brickell, Downtown and Omni stations, limiting the free options for movement to certain areas.

Therefore, even the efficient arteries of public transportation, also including municipal trolley services, have their impact reduced by a lack of compatibility.

“We are on our 20-year anniversary of our Trolley service, running down Ponce de Leon Boulevard,” Assistant Director of Mobility and Sustainability for Coral Gables said. “We average 10-minute wait times which is very quick for public transport.”

While Miami has all the potential for promising public transportation, its fulfillment depends on whether it can overcome its status as an institutional afterthought.

GLOBAL EXAMPLES

There are cities spread across the globe with similar qualities to Miami that have managed to master the art of effective public transportation. From Beijing, China, to Copenhagen, Denmark, these cities’ public transport may look completely different from one another but are still effective.

Miami residents are familiar with the frustration of buses stopping in the middle of the road to pick up and drop off passengers, much to the chagrin of the city’s drivers. The frequent stops these vehicles make are not only inconvenient for other cars on the road but also exacerbate traffic congestion.

Beijing has eliminated this problem by implementing dedicated bus lanes throughout the city, according to The Beijinger. In a city of over 21 million residents, these measures boost traffic efficiency for everyone involved.

In Miami, already known for its excessively bad traffic, bus lanes would promote the use of public transport by facilitating its use. Having their own lane, these buses would be more effcient and garner more passengers.

Looking toward Europe and cities with both similar economic status and cultural norms, Copenhagen exemplifies how to manage multiple forms of transport.

Not only is public transportation in Copenhagen reliable, but their trusted system of trains, buses and waterbuses is entirely user-friendly.

Visitors or residents can purchase a Copenhagen Card, which covers a variety of transportation services across the city and also grants free admission to attractions across the city, according to the Copenhagen Card’s official website.

“Other cities have systems that work more frequently because the demand for public transportation is higher,” junior Alejandro Hernandez said.

Although Miami-Dade public transit does use an EASY card to cover transport such as the Metrorail and Metrobus that is facilitated by the GO Miami-Dade app, an expansion to also include perks around the city would serve as an incentive for tourists and residents to look to public transportation when on a classic Miami night out.

Effectively, expanding the reach of Miami-Dade’s transit system to entertainment would make experiencing the city logistically easier while also being a lucrative source of economic and social capital for the city itself.

A BRIGHTER FUTURE

Accessibility to public transport not only affects the movement of citizens around the city but also the overall quality of life countywide.

Metropolitan cities like Miami are more susceptible to issues such as air pollution as opposed to rural areas, making the prioritization of the residents’ well-being vital.

Air pollution is greatly affected by the greenhouse gases produced by motor exhausts, heightened by the amount of cars used in highly populated cities like Miami.

The harmful effects of these gases are seen most prevalently in Dhaka, Bangladesh, the city with the worst traffic on Earth, as reported by Bloomberg News. Due to cars emitting greenhouse gasses, Dhaka is at an all-time air pollution high, and Miami could be on the same route.

While still emitting greenhouse gasses, public transport would exponentially cut down its effects by allowing for thousands of residents to rely on a smaller group of vehicles. According to a study conducted by the University of California, Los Angeles, taking public transportation can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 45% when compared to driving alone.

Public transportation also helps create employment, offering hundreds of jobs opportunities in several fields. For example, maintenance, operation and construction of railways and vehicles are careers offered in the public transit field. With government benefits and fixed salaries, these jobs benefit all demographics, already employing 4,000 residents of Miami-Dade County.

Public transit also allows low-income residents to have greater access to the amenities offered by the city.

Whether going to necessary appointments or enjoying the many public joys of Miami, such as its recognized beaches, many households rely on public transport services to move from place to place. Miami-Dade County already provides transport to 2.8 million residents, only showing the potential of a more advanced system.

On Nov. 13, 2023, the city will attempt to reconcile with much of the need for expanded public transportation through the implementation of the Better Bus SHIFTS into Gear Action Plan. According to Miami-Dade County’s official website, the plan will provide more services to previously underserved communities.

If successful, the expanded routes and opportunities will demonstrate public transportation’s discreet power to impact Miami’s society.