Miami-Dade 2040 LRTP - Oct. 23, 2014

MIAMI-DADE LONG RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN UPDATE TO THE YEAR 2040 Chapter 6 | Multimodal Solutions EYES ON THE FUTURE | 6-5 Transit Miami-Dade County residents and visitors have several transit options including: bus, enhanced bus, express bus, MetroMover, MetroRail, and Tri-Rail. One notable change from the 2035 LRTP is that there are available bonding capacities for transit to expand the transit system within Miami-Dade County including: Enhanced Bus Service (EBS) and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). To maximize this new investment capacity, flexible funding sources are used to fund transit capital projects while the transit bonding capacities are allocated for the operating and maintenance for the proposed future transit projects. Park-and-Ride Facilities and Intermodal/Transit Terminals Park-and-Ride Facilities and Intermodal Terminals are multimodal and intermodal with uses for both transit access and for carpooling. To help encourage transit use, especially for riders who have choices, access must be convenient and available. Park-and-Ride facilities should be strategically located along transit routes to allow for maximum transit use and provide enough parking for the demand. Park-and-Ride facilities are typically very productive and efficient. A small land parcel can often accommodate many vehicles that otherwise would be mixing with other traffic and using congested roadways. Park-and- Ride facilities are also usually at a relatively low cost for construction or upgrading. Further, the infrastructure design and construction requirements are fairly basic, allowing for flexibility for alternative uses of the facilities in the future with limited retrofitting. Miami-Dade Transit has an aggressive program of planned Park-and-Ride lot facilities and continues to look for opportunities to expand them. As the economy continues to improve and job expansion occurs the public will require a greater range of mobility options, particularly in the short run for those who have experienced long term unemployment or under-employment. The carpooling option, made possible through Park-and-Ride infrastructure, helps to facilitate and promote carpooling. Benefits include: Park-and-Ride Facilities and Intermodal Terminals can provide an array of amenities and even opportunities for Transit-Oriented Developments (TOD). The common amenities for a Park-and-Ride Facility include: Surface or garage parking for personal vehicles for daily users Kiss-and-Ride area to drop-off and pick -up passengers Pedestrian facilities (sidewalks, lighting, shelters) Bicycle facilities (bike racks, lockers) Bus Bays adjacent to the parking area Access to MetroRail and Facilities serving MetroRail Park-and-Ride Amenities Air quality and environmental benefits Reduced congestion and travel time savings Cost savings to those carpooling Promotes a greater sense of community Benefits for employers to be able to access workers