Miami-Dade 2040 LRTP - Oct. 23, 2014

Key Trends, Opportunities, & Challenges Current traffic congestion on Miami-Dade County roadways is significant, causing over 174 million hours of delay per year for Miami-Dade motorists, according to the Texas Transportation Institute’s (TTI) 2012 Annual Urban Mobility Report. This is estimated to cost nearly $4 billion, valued in part as Miami-Dade County’s workforce productivity lost to time spent in traffic. It is a goal of the 2040 LRTP to address this issue with a range of mobility options, including both motorized and non-motorized, both roadway and public transit, for both motorists and freight movement. The menu of options available to the traveling public should include a range of choices specific to the types of trips being made, in terms of short trips to the store, long trips to work, and everything in between, as shown in Figure 1-8 . The opportunities to provide innovative and cutting edge solutions must also be balanced with the financial limitations, particularly in the recovery of the national economy. At this time of economic recovery, the challenge is to make the most of still-limited financial resources and to do so in a way that delivers the greatest possible return, for mobility. Innovative Solutions Transportation improvements designed to alleviate today’s traffic congestion and accommodate future demand must include innovative solutions that capitalize on existing investments and maximize the efficiency of our transportation system. Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), with the help of an Urban Partnership Agreement between the Miami-Fort Lauderdale urban areas and the USDOT opened the I-95 Express in Miami-Dade County in December 2008. Managed lanes are defined by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) as highway facilities or sets of lanes within an existing highway facility where operational strategies are proactively implemented and managed in response to changing conditions with a combination of tools. These tools may include accessibility, vehicle eligibility, pricing, or a combination thereof. As illustrated in Figure 1-9 , managed lane strategies can be applied in varying combinations and at different complexities to achieve varying results. Within Florida, managed lane types include express lanes, truck only lanes, and express bus lanes. 1-8 | MOBILITY OPTIONS Figure 1-7 | Mobility Options in Miami-Dade County