BACKGROUND

Rapid mass transit service connecting Miami Beach and Downtown Miami is long overdue and vital to the economic viability, environmental sustainability, mobility, and quality-of-life of the City and its residents and visitors

On February 16, 2016, the Governing Board of the Miami–Dade Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) unanimously adopted Resolution No. 06-16 which set the advancement of rapid transit corridors and transit supportive projects as the highest priority for Miami-Dade County.

On April 21, 2016, the TPO Governing Board unanimously adopted Resolution No. 26-16 endorsing the County's Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit (SMART) Plan. The goal of the SMART Plan is to improve mobility options within the County by implementing six priority rapid transit corridors, as well as nine complimentary bus express rapid transit (BERT) routes which, upon full implementation, are anticipated to improve transportation mobility countywide; to provide a world-class transit system that will support economic growth, global competitiveness, and future population growth; to improve access to tourist destinations and recreational areas; and, to improve air quality and reduced energy consumption due to fewer vehicles traveling on roadways, among other benefits.

Currently, the SMART Plan includes the Beach Corridor between Downtown Miami and Miami Beach as one of the six priority rapid transit corridors.

On July 21, 2016, the City of Miami Beach, City of Miami, Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), and Miami-Dade County entered into a Memorandum of Understanding intended to collaboratively advance the project development and environmental studies required for the Beach Corridor Project. The Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Study for the Beach Corridor Rapid Transit Project will be led by Miami-Dade County and is anticipated to take approximately three (3) years to complete.  The cost will be approximately $10 Million, with funding to be provided from the following stakeholder agencies: FDOT - $5 Million; Citizens’ Independent Transportation Trust (CITT) – $3.75 Million; Miami-Dade County - $417,000; City of Miami - $417,000; and City of Miami Beach - $417,000.

At the December 14, 2016 City Commission meeting, the Commission unanimously approved Resolution No. 2016-29690 which, among other directives, directed the City Administration to work with County Administration to advance short-term transit initiatives (such as BERT service) and long-term initiatives for a rapid transit connection across the MacArthur Causeway to connect Downtown Miami with the City of Miami Beach.

Subsequently, at its meeting on February 14, 2018, the City Commission adopted Resolution No. 2018-30180 which requested that the County consider the Julia Tuttle Causeway as an additional corridor in the Beach Corridor PD&E Study.

It is important to note that the County's Beach Corridor PD&E Study is currently in process. The County provided a Notice To Proceed to its consultant on May 11, 2017, and selection of a local preferred alternative by the TPO is anticipated to occur in fall 2019. Miami Beach Transportation Department staff is actively participating in the PD&E study as part of a Technical Advisory Committee comprised of various stakeholder representatives with the goal of guiding the technical aspects of the study.

Other significant Beach Corridor project dates include:

• December 17, 2018 - Public Meeting

• May 30, 2019 - Project Advisory Group Meeting

• June 17 and June 20, 2019 – Public Workshops

In spring 2019, the County received an unsolicited proposal from Miami Beach Monorail Consortium proposing a monorail connection between Downtown Miami and Miami Beach.  At its July 10, 2019 meeting, the Board of County Commissioners is considering a resolution accepting the unsolicited proposal, and pursuant to Florida Statutes governing the process for  unsolicited proposals, issuing an open and competitive solicitation from qualified bidders for the same project purpose.  Until a recommendation for award is issued by the County, the unsolicited proposal remains private (i.e. exempt from Sunshine laws).

The City is in the process of engaging a consultant to conduct an independent third-party review of the County's Beach Corridor Rapid Transit PD&E Study, including the locally preferred alternatives, and related unsolicited proposals (including the proposal submitted by the Miami Beach Monorail Consortium), as well as proposed Bus Express Rapid Transit projects connecting to Miami Beach.