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The Miami metropolitan area[a] composed of the three counties of Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach, also known collectively as South Florida, is home to a wide variety of public and private transportation systems.
These include heavy rail mass transit (Metrorail), commuter rail (Tri-Rail), automated guideway transit (Metromover), highways, two major airports (Miami International Airport (MIA) and Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport (FLL)) and seaports (Port of Miami and Port Everglades), as well as three county-wide bus networks (Miami-Dade Metrobus, Broward County Transit (BCT), and Palm Tran), which cover the entire urbanized area of South Florida. Census and ridership data show that Miami has the highest public transportation usage of any city in Florida, as about 17% of Miamians use public transportation on a regular basis, compared to about 4% of commuters in the South Florida metropolitan area.[4]
The majority of public transportation in Miami is operated by Miami-Dade Transit (MDT), which is currently the largest transit system in Florida and was the 14th largest transit system in the United States in 2011.[5]
South Florida is one of the most densely populated urbanized areas in the United States overall,[b] being bound by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the South Florida Water Management District and the Everglades to the west, with a fairly strict Urban Development Boundary (UDB). As of the 2010 U.S. census, South Florida is both the eighth-most populous and eighth most densely populated metropolitan area in the United States.[6]
Now, with a population of over five and a half million people living in an urbanized area of only 1,116.1 sq mi (2,891 km2), it has an average population density of over 5,000 residents per square mile. According to the population as of the 2010 U.S. census, the 35.68 sq mi (92 km2) Miami city proper has an average population density of about 12,139 residents per square mile, with Downtown area, particularly Brickell, being the fastest growing and most dense neighborhoods.[7]
A major problem for urban planning and effective public transit in Miami-Dade and South Florida is the fact that in terms of planning, it is one of the most sprawled out and automobile dependent metropolitan areas in the United States,[b][8] with a lot of lowly contrasted medium density development spread throughout the area.[9] A low percentage of the area's office space, only 13 percent, is located in the Central Business District (CBD) of Miami.[10] Subsequently, transit access between people and jobs in the city and region remains limited.[11]
Overview
Transport in South Florida is largely dominated by roads, highways, and toll roads. While the region originally burgeoned because of Henry Flagler's railroad, much of it was built from the 1920s Florida land boom onward, through eras that saw the rise of the automobile, the fall of streetcars, then the general fall of public transport during the 1950s and 1960s. The 24-mile (39 km) Metrorail, located solely in Miami-Dade County and centered in Miami, is Florida's only heavy rail mass transit system, and has lower ridership compared to other systems in the United States. It was planned after public outcry against an expensive highway expansion plan during the 1970s energy crisis during a time other regions such as the San Francisco Bay Area were also building heavy rail under the Carter Administration. Despite having the system mostly built, it faced criticism for not completing the 50-mile (80 km) system. Tri-Rail, which runs west of South Florida's major downtowns on a former CSX line, is a commuter rail system introduced to provide an alternative to the congestion on Interstate 95. There is a proposal to bring a commuter rail line to Henry Flagler's Florida East Coast Railway line that passes directly through the major urban areas, which will share the track with the Brightline service on the corridor.
In South Florida, there are two Florida Department of Transportation districts and three Metropolitan Planning Organizations. There are county-wide bus systems, trolley networks in smaller cities and two rail systems, one serving Miami-Dade County exclusively, the other stretching across Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties.
Florida has no state-level income tax, but has more toll road mileage than any other state.[12] South Florida is home to a large number of tolled or partially tolled roads with express lanes, the latter of which can have a variable rate that can rise to over US$1 per mile during high congestion. Highway expansion through widening projects, the addition of express lanes, and the rebuilding of interchanges has persisted into the 2010s, though traffic congestion is as bad as ever, ranking among the highest in United States metropolitan areas.[13]
With a population nearing six million, Miami-Dade Transit, Broward County Transit, and Palm Tran combined carry less than half a million passengers per day, a number that works out to less than 5% of the population using transit regularly once round trips are figured. In Greater Downtown Miami, which has seen more than 100% population growth since 2000, the Metromover system carries almost half the daily riders of the Metrorail system with only about 4 miles (6.4 km) of track. Although it directly connects to the Metrorail system at two stations, nearly 80% of the ridership is through direct boardings. This mode alone would suggest at least 15% of the downtown-area population uses transit.
Historically, Metromover ridership remained fairly steady from 1995 (after outer loop extensions) to 2002, when the 25 cent fare was lifted, making the system entirely free to use. After this, ridership spiked by more than 60% within two years, but it was not until 2013 that ridership doubled from 2002. In a region and state not overly inclined to public transport, this system is considered successful and a vital part of downtown life.[14][15]
The elimination of the fare was just a small part of a sales tax increase that was approved by two-thirds of Miami-Dade voters under the promise that major rail-based transit extensions would take place. Funds were misused and it was later falsely claimed that the half-cent increase would not be enough for the expansion promised, despite the fact that the Citizens' Independent Transportation Trust concluded that the Metrorail extension along 9 rail corridors is financially viable.[16] further souring public opinion of local transit and government.
Miami International Airport (MIA) is one of the busiest airports in the United States in terms of total passenger traffic and cargo traffic, but especially when it comes to international traffic. It is considered to be the largest economic engine in Miami-Dade County, and has a large employee base. It was connected to the Metrorail system in 2012, the AirportLink that created the Orange Line, which most significantly led to higher service frequency in the southern portion of the existing Green Line. The connection is made at the Miami Airport station through the MIA Mover people mover, and the station receives about 1,600 passengers a day.[17] With headways cut in half, ridership rose much more on double-lined portion of the system from Earlington Heights to Dadeland South stations than the Airport Station itself. MIA has seen record growth in the 2010s, with the addition of many major international flights and carriers, though many are connecting flights, similar to Hartsfield Jackson, with Miami being a layover not a final destination.
As the population of South Florida fluctuates similar to the rest of the state, traffic,[18] transit ridership,[19] and flight volumes (FTL) are all generally greater in the winter season.[20]
Road transportation
Miami-Dade County contains many grade separated freeways built to Interstate Highway standards. The main north–south thoroughfare for the entire tri-county area is Interstate 95. I-95 and the Palmetto Expressway, a highly congested elevated freeway that serves the farther inland part of the county, are the two busiest roads in South Florida, with traffic in places exceeding 250,000 vehicles per day.[21] Interstate 95 terminates into U.S. Route 1 just south of downtown Miami, in the Brickell neighborhood.
I-95 has three east–west spurs in the Miami area; from south to north, they are I-395 and I-195 in Miami-Dade County, as well as Interstate 595 in Broward County.[22] I-395 is a short highway that runs east from I-95 and terminates on the MacArthur Causeway, en route to South Beach, Miami Beach; west of I-95, the same alignment is known as the Dolphin Expressway,[23] which continues west all the way to the edge of the urban boundary at NW 137 Street just past Florida's Turnpike, while Interstate 395 crosses the MacArthur Causeway, becoming route A1A, and terminates into 5th Street in South Beach, Miami Beach. A few miles north, another east–west highway alignment exists, known as State Road 112 on the west side and as Interstate 195 east of I-95; State Route 112 terminates at the northeast corner of the airport and is also known as the Airport Expressway, while Interstate 195 goes east over the Julia Tuttle Causeway to Miami Beach.
In Broward County, north of Miami, east–west Interstate 595 connects I-95 to Fort Lauderdale to the east, and to the west it is known as Alligator Alley after it meets the Sawgrass Expressway and terminates into Interstate 75, which crosses the entire state of Florida before turning north.[24]
Many highways and roads intersect at the complex Golden Glades Interchange near North Miami Beach in Miami-Dade County.
The Dolphin, Airport, Don Shula, and Snapper Creek expressways, as well as the Gratigny Parkway all have tolls and are managed by the Greater Miami Expressway Agency (GMX).[25] The Sawgrass Expressway was once managed by the Broward County Expressway Authority, but was sold to Florida's Turnpike Enterprise in 1990.[26][27]
The rest of the highways and the majority of major roads in Miami-Dade County and the state are operated by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).[28] The Rickenbacker Causeway is a tolled and divided highway managed by Miami-Dade County.[29]
Termini of the controlled-access, tolled Florida State Roads (and their common names), as well as the southern extension of Florida's Turnpike, all serving Miami-Dade:
- SR 112 (Airport Expressway): Interstate 95 to MIA
- Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike (SR 821): Florida's Turnpike mainline (SR 91)/Miami Gardens to U.S. Route 1/Florida City
- SR 826 (Palmetto Expressway): Golden Glades Interchange to U.S. Route 1/Pinecrest
- SR 836 (Dolphin Expressway): Downtown to SW 137th Ave via MIA
- SR 874 (Don Shula Expressway): 826/Bird Road to Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike/Kendall
- SR 878 (Snapper Creek Expressway): SR 874/Kendall to U.S. Route 1/Pinecrest & South Miami
- SR 924 (Gratigny Parkway) Miami Lakes to Opa-locka
The Florida Highway Patrol is a law enforcement agency under the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles with specific jurisdiction on the state's roads and highways. Miami-Dade is included in the Troop E jurisdiction, with Broward and Palm Beach counties being among Troop L jurisdiction.[30]
Toll roads and express lanes
Several highways have a tolling system using SunPass and toll-by-plate open road tolling, with cash tolling being completely phased-out in 2014. Both the Dolphin and Airport Expressway have had an eastbound toll for years with westbound tolls implemented in November 2014.[31] On November 15, 2014, the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority implemented their all-electronic open road tolling system on the Dolphin and Airport expressways.
On the Dolphin Expressway, motorists are tolled as soon as they enter the highway from any ramp, so toll evasion can no longer take place by exiting before reaching a booth, as before.[32] The increased tolling was not well received by motorists in its first few days.[33][34]
Additionally, I-95 has north and south express lanes from the I-195 interchange up to the Golden Glades Interchange. Work took place from 2011 to 2016 to extend the I-95 express lanes up to the Interstate 595 interchange near Fort Lauderdale. The price on the original express lanes varies depending on traffic, with tolls originally ranging from 25 cents up to seven dollars during rush hour or other heavy traffic. The toll range was raised to 50 cents up to US$10.50 in 2014, due partially to overuse.[35] When the extension of the 95 express lanes to the Fort Lauderdale area opened in 2016, tolls rose even further, as was predicted by FDOT engineer Rory Santana. This has stirred controversy that the system, dubbed "Lexus lanes",[36] is creating inequality among motorists. During high demand, tolls may range around US$20 for the approximately 22-mile (35 km) distance.[37]
Florida's Turnpike is a north–south tolled highway that runs from Orlando to Homestead. The Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike (HEFT) runs through the outskirts of Miami-Dade County, while the main section runs a more central alignment through Broward and Palm Beach counties, is tolled throughout its entire route. Despite this, there is a project to add express lanes as a long stretch in South Miami-Dade is widened from six to ten lanes in places,[38] and from ten to possibly 14 lanes for about a mile from SW 152 Street (Coral Reef Drive) to the Don Shula Expressway, adjacent to Graceland Memorial Park. Express lanes would presumably be an up charge over the existing tolls of the HEFT, which are already higher than the mainline north of Miami-Dade.
Tolled causeways include the Venetian Causeway (NE 15th Street) to Miami Beach, the Rickenbacker Causeway connecting Interstate 95 in Brickell to Key Biscayne, and the Broad Causeway connecting North Miami with Bay Harbor Islands and Bal Harbour.
A US$1.8 billion project to add tolled reversible express lanes in the median of Interstate 595, as well as to improve flyovers and connectivity to other highways was completed in 2014. The express lanes run for about 10 miles (16 km) between the Interstate 95 interchange to the western terminus at Interstate 75 and the Sawgrass Expressway in the western fringes of Broward County.[39]
The Florida Department of Transportation has a plan to add tolled express lanes to every grade-separated highway in Miami-Dade and possibly Broward County,[40] with some under construction as of 2014 including on the Palmetto Expressway and Interstate 75 from the Palmetto to Interstate 595.[41] Toll road and express lane expansions continued greatly throughout the late 2010s and into the 2020s, with many of the projects to be completed by about 2022.[42]
Other road infrastructure
The grid throughout most of Miami-Dade County, with the exception of a few cities such as Coral Gables, is a simple axis-oriented numbered street pattern. Flagler Street forms the north–south divider and Miami Avenue forms the east–west divider between roads. Hence, all streets travel east–west and all avenues travel north–south, with the numbers increasing uniformly away from the dividers. Nearly all streets are referred to and indicated by number and all have a prefix (NW, NE, SW, SE) to determine their quadrant. Many of the busier, arterial roads, are also known by their common name, such as West 42nd Avenue, which is often referred to as LeJeune Road.
All streets and avenues in Miami-Dade County follow the "Miami grid," with a few exceptions, most notably Coral Gables, Hialeah, and Miami Beach. The grid pattern was adopted after World War I as the common naming system proved too confusing, particularly for mail carriers.[43] The grid pattern is laid out primarily in 1 mi x 1 mi format based on a survey technique called metes and bounds. Within those larger squares, individual developers and cities platted the lots differently, and they do not always cross the major roads that create the macro-grid. These major roads usually are able to cross physical boundaries such as canals and highways, while the intermediate streets within them typically do not.[44]
One off-grid neighborhood in Miami, The Roads, is thus named because its streets run off the Miami grid in an approximately 45-degree angle, and therefore all streets are known by their number with the suffix "Road" vs Street. Another busy off-grid road is Okeechobee Road (U.S. Route 27), which travels diagonally through the urban area from the northeast corner of Miami International Airport through Hialeah. Additionally, U.S. Route 1, known better locally as South Dixie Highway, Brickell Avenue and Biscayne Boulevard, does not follow grid pattern.
The majority of surface roads in Broward and Palm Beach Counties similarly follow a grid pattern. With notable exceptions including dead-ends and private roads in gated communities, which are common in South Florida.[45]
While the Florida Department of Transportation operates and maintains most of the larger surface roads, even in incorporated areas, municipalities such as the City of Miami occasionally try to assume control over specific roads. These often include highly urban roads in the downtown area[46] such as Brickell Avenue, where they[who?] feel the more broad scoped and highway oriented FDOT is inadequate in understanding the needs of such roads.[47]
Causeways
With a high number of waterways and Biscayne Bay separating the mainland from the coastal peninsula, there are many causeways and draw bridges in South Florida. Three drawbridges are located in close proximity over the Miami River between downtown Miami and Brickell; the Second Avenue Bridge, the Miami Avenue Bridge, and the Brickell Avenue Bridge. The latter can cause significant delays with the heavy traffic on Brickell Avenue.[48][49]
