Update on the ‘Gold standard BRT”. A single qualified bid was received by Miami-Dade County for the BRT line along US1. The Final Bid is $326,172,000.00. What this means for Palmetto Bay. Renderings posted.

Update on the ‘Gold standard" BRT. A single qualified bid was received by Miami-Dade County for the BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) line along US1.

The BRT will have a profound impact on the future of Palmetto Bay and every community to the south that drive up US1 as well as through Palmetto Bay neighborhoods to reach destinations to our north. Simply saying it is critical to our future is an understatement. 

After reviewing the deliverables of this bid, my first though is of that 1970’s era song by Paul Simon. How does that song go? Oh yeah:

Slip slidin' away

Slip slidin' away

You know the nearer your destination

The more you're slip slidin' away

And, most importantly, Palmetto Bay lost the 174th Street Transit Station. This was a key component of the downtown development and it was in the plans as late as 2019.

Here we go – more cement on the project, unless Palmetto Bay officials expect the total package to miraculously take a new form through a series of deep change orders. 

The final bid is $326,172,000.00. But most importantly, Palmetto Bay lost the 174th Street Transit Station.

What this gets us, the commuters of South Miami-Dade County:

• This is getting us the BRT line – the promised special buses with stations that provide level boarding (adding the bells and whistles to a bus that the county tells us will change your mind and will get you riding these special buses).
• A parking garage on 168th Street (pictured)
• Train type mast arms on the cross streets that cross US1 (the traditional arms that close off traffic to the original diesel trains that historically ran along the original rail line).

The following is where this bid falls short for Palmetto Bay residents:

• Metrorail on grade only in the future – when? Well, let’s be honest. We now get the BRT. That will not be upgraded, if ever, until that is maybe 40-60 years from now.
• A parking garage on 168th Street - What this doesn’t get us – 174th street Transit Station (which could have been built with County money – a recurring theme with the current mayor and council – ‘could have’ but failure to deliver).  
  
• This removes the 174th Street transit station that was a long cornerstone of the FT&I, DUV and current version of the revised DUV. 
• No station for the residents and businesses means a greater need for individual transportation as the current DUV passed by the current mayor and council is not a transit oriented development, is much more reliant on personal vehicles due to the lack of a major transit stop at 174th street.

And the where was this ball dropped? I had been all over this issue as an interested, involved resident and while serving as mayor – I had raised the alarm in my blog post of October 17, 2019, “We lost the 174th Street Station? I feel left out of the loop. Did I miss the announcement or were Palmetto Bay elected officials not going to tell us?”

  

So we can document that several items including the fact that:

1. The current mayor and council knew or should have known,

2. They were warned publicly – as posted on my blog – that they all read, and,

3. They did nothing to restore the 174 street transit station.

As a result: This will cause more traffic from the DUV development and removes it from being a true TOD.

Once again, how does that 1970’s era Paul Simon song go?:

Slip slidin' away

Slip slidin' away

You know the nearer your destination

The more you're slip slidin' away

Or maybe the appropriate Paul Simon song is "Stranded in a Limousine".

Don’t worry, we’re “all in this together”. We will have a picnic or a tree give away and all will be better. No – it won’t be.  Palmetto Bay needs to change its trademarked tag line from “Village of Parks” to “Village of bread and circuses”.

Results can happen! Look to LA. Investigating the facts on transit and seeing work combining with political will to address congestion. Part I - OVERVIEW

Sometimes you have to get out and see things first hand to separate fact from fiction.  Cutler Bay Mayor Peggy Bell, Manager Rafael G. Casals joined Manager Ed Silva and me in Los Angeles.  And, right off, I will advise you that I was warned that I would be upset at what I saw. I was.  LA has made significant impact on its traffic congestion issues - moving forward on building many, many miles of regular bus, BRT, lite Rail and heavy rail - all in the same time that Miami-Dade has only talked, studied and avoided.

The bill is coming due - and Mayor Bell and I are here to contribute our "Two Cents" on this issue (as do residents of LA county, but more on that later).  See the Miami Herald article of Feb. 8, 2018, Miami-Dade warns of massive bus route cuts if state bill passes - by David Smiley and Douglas Hanks.

It appears that the tale of two cities is striking - in contrasts - LA has won the confidence by delivering on commitments, wise spending and addressing issues for its tax payers who have approved 4 of 5 referendums. Miami-Dade, in stark contrast, has avoided delivery and waffles, and denies through continued delays - paralysis through endless analysis. 

Our initial meeting - held Tuesday, Feb 6, 2018 with LA Transit Officials

Here is what LA County accomplished in the 1990s:

The Metro Blue Line opened in 1990. This is light rail line consisting of 22 miles.  The construction cost was $877 million.
The Metro Red/Purples lines opened during 1993, 1996, 1999 and 2000. These are actual heavy rail subway lines consisting of 17.4 miles served by 16 stations, including 6 shared. The cost was $4.5 billion to construct.
The Metro Green Line opened in 1995.  20 miles of light rail served by 14 stations, 1 shared.  The cost for this line was $718 million.

We toured all the systems:

Above left - bike share and local DASH routes. Above right - local on street service.  

Bus exclusive lanes in part of the city (reserved for buses during rush hours only)

Above left - local service bus. Branded, but standard - most important - cleaned daily.

Above right - a transit hub where you can transfer between bus and subway

Nothing unique - above - subway stations - what we will never see in Miami-Dade County.

but (above right) the rail cars are the same as our MetroRail Cars used by Miami-Dade Transit.

 

Immediately above, left and right - LA County, Miami-Dade County &

Palmetto Bay all have strong Art In Public Places Programs - and can

be seen both in LA and Miami-Dade County Stations. (photos of LA Stations)

 LA officials are proud of what they have accomplished since 1990

and they should be proud.

 

This post is the preview for the joint report that will be issued by Cutler Bay and Palmetto Bay on our findings.  There will be coverage of our observations and communications with experts in LA - where many go to learn about the 'gold standard' of BRT.  

BRT, or 'Bus "rapid transit"'- is where "The rubber meets the road" and will be covered in a separate part as I want to provide detailed comment on how Miami-Dade's Transitway stacks up - my comments and observations may surprise.  Look for updates on the LA Transit, Fact-Finding investigation.

Photos from the LA Orange Line - compare to the Miami-Dade Transitway bus service

I have selected photos are representative of the LA Transit Orange Line, recognized as a very successful BRT. 

Please find the differences between our MDC  bus/transitway and the LA 'Gold Standard' BRT. 

There are no functional differences other than the buses are kept cleaner, receive scheduled updates and the line is assigned the promised number of buses.  

MDC could easily install kiosks for issuing metro fare cards. No mega stations are required in LA.

The question is why MDC is working to spend more than a quarter of a billion dollars to put perfume on the existing service, is it merely to delay rail? 

 Above - How does this station differ from Miami-Dade County's "Transitway"?

 Above left - note the passengers 'stepping up' into the bus. 

LA's Gold Standard BRT does not require "level boarding" to be successful

A total lack of transparency. Why you have to ask. It now takes a formal public records request to obtain information from Palmetto Bay. No resolutions posted since February 5, 2019. No updates to the index since July, 2019.

Information. You are entitled to it. It used to be easily accessible. However, it is like the Internet doesn't even exist for our local Palmetto Bay officials. For those interested in what is happening, who really want to be kept in the loop, current information must be obtained the 'old fashioned way' - you need to ask in the form of a formal public records request - but make sure you ask the right question or you will get what they want you to see, not what you need.

Why is Transparency important? An Example: Transparency prevents behind the scenes deals and protects residents from abuse - as once exposed, bad government acts are forced to be withdrawn. There would be no controversy forcing elected officials to change bad policy or bad acts if you never knew about them. See:  Q: How much does it cost to leave your garbage can out in Palmetto Bay? A: $150. Palmetto Bay has gone mad (May 19, 2020). There would be no public outcry if there was no public knowledge of incidents such as the infamous $150 ticket for a garbage can left out. Picking on the little guy. Has the $150.00 ticket been withdrawn yet, can it be legally 'torn up' once issued?

Why do Palmetto Bay officials complain about transparency? Yet, we hear complaints about people making public records requests by the current elected officials and their supporters (horrors! – people wanting to know what is going on in their community, with their tax dollars - and it is the absolute right to have access). Do you want to know why? Information is being withheld as I explain below. And all is documented on the official website.

There would be far fewer public records requests if full transparency was restored to the Village website. I always made sure that the actual resolutions were posted within 30 days of passage as well as keeping the index updated. Policy and priorities change when there is a change in administrations. Your voice doesn't matter if the village fails to provide you with access to information to see how the government is, or is not, functioning. The online location of resolutions passed by the Village of Palmetto Bay remains. But it is being neglected by the current mayor and council. To review it would lead readers to believe that very little has happened over the last year, year and three months. Not that the reader would be wrong.

Note that there is no listing for "Resolutions - 2020" Photo 5-19-2020

Serious neglect. The index has not been updated since July 29, 2019 (nearly 10 months ago). The last resolution indexed is dated July 29, 2019. (Resolution 2019-109):

A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND VILLAGE COUNCIL OF

THE VILLAGE OF PALMETTO BAY, FLORIDA, RELATING TO

TRANSIT; URGING THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ORGANIZATION TO STOP

EXPLORING ALL OTHER ALTERNATIVES IN SMART PLAN

CORRIDORS UNTIL ALL FUNDING OPTIONS FOR THE

CONSTRUCTION OF LIGHT RAIL AND/OR METRORAIL

(ONE-SEAT RIDE) ON THE EXISTING SOUTH DADE

TRANSITWAY ARE FULFILLED,

How did that resolution go by the way?  This was yet another failed effort - a photo op resolution without follow up or success. The county (Miami-Dade TPO & Miami-Dade County government) is proceeding at full steam ahead with Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), so resolution 2019-109 had absolutely no effect. See prior related post of May 11, 2020, Update on the ‘Gold standard BRT”. A single qualified bid was received by Miami-Dade County for the BRT line along US1. The Final Bid is $326,172,000.00. What this means for Palmetto Bay. Renderings posted.

CLICK HERE to view the alleged list of resolutions passed by the village of Palmetto Bay. The resolutions were posted within 30 days under my administrations. However, the current Mayor apparently does not feel that public information or transparency is important.

Record setting procrastination – adversely affecting your rights to know. Would a teacher allow students to withhold their work for this long? I want see your work!. The answer should be that we can see it on the website, not you will see it if and when we feel it is necessary - and then take more than a year to post it.

What about the actual resolutions? After all, the index is just an index. The details are contained in the full resolution, not the heading. Are you sitting down? The last complete resolution posted dates back to February 4, 2019, resolution 2019-033.  That is more than 15 months. It takes more than a year and 3 months to post the full resolutions? Well, we will see as there is no hint that any updates are actually set to be posted so the record setting official procrastination continues to run, setting new records by the day.

Why would the mayor not want the resolutions posted? The details are important. Headings fail to tell the full story. Fellow residents would see the long string of wasted time and unfulfilled promises that many of the legislation, resolutions and ordinances would reveal. At some point this mayor probably will release all resolutions in a big dump update, relying upon people not having the time or energy to review years’ worth of wasted council action.

Hide the actions that demonstrate that the council actions are not working. That appears to be the mantra of this current mayor.

The Tool Box for this topic:

January 7, 2019, Eroding Transparency gains in Palmetto Bay. 3 voted yes in 2017, but new council, new rules, new goals for 2019. Where is Elvis Costello when you need him most in this dark time for transparency roll back in Palmetto Bay!

April 24, 2019, Tactical Transparency in Palmetto Bay - who is managing information, the elected officials or campaign consultants?

April 25, 2019, Palmetto Bay - Transparency - on sale to those who can afford it

A recommendation for Elevated Rail for NW 27th Avenue, rejecting the same 'world class BRT' attempted to be foisted on the South? Say it ain't so!

Read it for yourself! A professional consultant, WSP USA, " ...rejected the option of a modernized, rapid-transit bus route for 27th Avenue as too disruptive to existing traffic."

That's right the option of a modernized, rapid-transit bus route for 27th Avenue as too disruptive to existing traffic - obviously no consultant has ever considered how disruptive the transitway (a nicer name for the US1 busway) has been and will continue to be "disruptive" for traffic trying to cross US1.

So here it is. A recommendation for elevated rail for NW 27th Avenue, but crumbs for South Dade.  Evidence that they will take our money in order to shift that funding for real transit anywhere but for us. This is why I opposed any compromises and refuse to accept BRT - South Miami-Dade County was sacrificed to make room for the north line. This is why we cannot and should not settle for "BRT".

In my own opinion, this is an example of a double standard being applied between the North and South Corridors.  This is quite unacceptable. The incoming Palmetto Bay Mayor and Council need to step up, no compromise, and pick up on the fight for South Miami-Dade County.

What makes us different? as pointed out in the article, “The mayor agrees with the recommendation for an elevated track for the north corridor,” Gimenez communications chief Myriam Marquez said. “He wants it done in phases so that it’s financially feasible.”

See the Miami Herald: Costs killed one Metrorail expansion, but a pricier option is looking more popular, by Douglas Hanks: 

Months after deciding Metrorail was too pricey for South Miami-Dade, county leaders are on board with an even costlier expansion of the rail system to the north.

A state consultant recommends Miami-Dade build a $1.8 billion extension of Metrorail’s existing elevated tracks along Northwest 27th Avenue. The consultant, WSP USA, rejected the option of a modernized, rapid-transit bus route for 27th Avenue as too disruptive to existing traffic.

That’s the same kind of system that Mayor Carlos Gimenez won approval for in South Dade in August. His administration had had recommended a similar system last year for the north as well. A county transportation board will take up the proposal Thursday, clearing the way for Miami-Dade to apply for transit dollars from Washington for the project.

This summer Gimenez campaigned publicly and privately to block board approval of a $1.3 billion Metrorail option in the south, including a last-minute bid by transit advocates to start with a smaller segment of the 20-mile extension being considered. Months later, the Gimenez administration has dropped its rapid-transit bus recommendation for the north in favor of the phased construction of an elevated rail system a consultant says will cost about $1.8 billion. ...

Click the link above to read the entire article.

Please review prior efforts as contained in prior posts, starting with a post of October 5, 2018, Team work continues on transit solutions. 

As I stated in that post, I believe that the TPO vote was a delay, not denial of our efforts to obtain rail. Many will recall the long fight for Palmetto Bay's incorporation - the delays and many adverse votes, including a moratorium lasting many years. 

Now it will be up to the incoming Mayor and Council to continue the fight under these newly revealed circumstances. We shall see how much fight there is in this council.

Our fellow South Dade taxpayers have been paying many years in advance for rail, through the half-cent sales tax. Residents clearly voted for rail when they supported the half-penny tax, and rail is what Miami-Dade County should be delivering to South Dade.

SMART Plan update - TPO deferred the decision on the plan to its August 30th meeting. Significant work required this week to prepare and participate.

After hearing hours of speakers, most against the improved bus plan, the Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) deferred the decision on the plan to its August 30th meeting.

I appeared with other government officials and many residents -all of whom I thank for taking the time to appear and present so passionately. 

State Rep. Kionne McGhee (Left) and Palmetto Bay Mayor Eugene Flinn (right)

We need rail, which will provide substantial release and if not rail then: “Why are we talking about spending a quarter of $1 billion to dress up what we already have? Why aren’t we working on a plan to get to where we really need to be"

Millennials said without real rapid transit they may have to find work in another town.

“My generation is tired of getting taxed every time we make a purchase in Miami and then see no results,“ said young voter Mark Merwitzer.

Why is this important? Rail will take significantly more cars off the road - per Miami-Dade County's own study (Page 26 of the Miami-Dade County DTPW South Corridor Rapid Transit Project, Preliminary Engineering & Environmental Report):

Don't be fooled - there is no middle ground, no interim step to rail

This meeting provided several important clarifications, including that as of now, there is no “middle” or “interim” grounds. It is clear that BRT will be a permanent mode of transportation if it is selected as “the locally preferred” option and built.  We should not be naive and believe another promise that BRT now will build ridership to where we can retrofit to rail.  There are 6 corridors to the SMART plan.  At best, we would be moved to the back of the line waiting for the remaining 2-6 corridors to be completed - which may be never.  

Media coverage: 

South Dade bus plan hits speed bump as board delays vote after demands for Metrorail, by Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, July 20, 2018

See the full CBS Local article online: Miami-DadeDefers Vote To Decide On Transportation Dilemma Until Late August, by Gary Nelson, CBS Local, July 19, 2018

Enhanced Bus Service Over Rail, A Step in the Wrong Direction, by Rene Infante, Community Newspapers

People left so fast, we were not able to get a complete group photo.  Thank you all.

The team has much work to do. We need everyone to get engaged in this effort that will determine the future of South Miami-Dade.

I want to thank our TPO.  I also want to specially recognize our County Commissioner, Daniella Levine Cava and Commission Chair Esteban Bovo.  We met with Pinecrest and Staff for both Palmetto Bay, Pinecrest and TPO/County earlier in the week to discuss this plan and our relative positions [Pinecrest voted 3-2 to support BRT, Palmetto Bay has remain steadfast in two prior resolutions (both supported 5-0) for Rail as the locally preferred option].

July 18 - I also want to thank County Commissioner Xavier Suarez for his leadership in working to unwind the 1/2 cent sales tax and reallocate it to its proper purpose.  I joined the commissioner, FL House Minority Leader Kionne L McGhee D-117th Naranja and local South Miami-Dade Mayors Peggy Bell D-Cutler Bay, Eugene Flinn D-Palmetto Bay and Cindy Lerner D-Pinecrest Coral Gables Commissioner Vince Lago for the PRESS CONFERENCE ON METRORAIL EXTENSION

Report from the TPO. Here is an alleged preview of what the County has promised to deliver on in the next 3 years.

I appeared at the August 30, 2018 TPO meeting alongside with Cutler Bay Mayor Peggy Bell, former Pinecrest Mayor Cindy Lerner and State Representative Kionne McGhee (not pictured).

The vote was 15 - 7 to select Bus Rapid Transit over Metrorail as the preferred option.  Pinecrest, a municipality presently served by two Metrorail stations (Dadeland North and South) was a promoter of this BRT.

Also see: Miami-Dade approves ‘rapid-transit’ bus plan over Metrorail expansion in South Dade, by Doug Hanks, where Homestead Mayor and BRT Proponent Jeff Porter was quoted as follows:

“It’s not going to solve everything,” Homestead Mayor Jeff Porter said of the bus system, which would serve his city. “But it’s a start. Bus-rapid transit gets us on the way to a transit system that works.”

If this system is actually implemented, it better solve traffic as this is all Palmetto Bay south to Florida City will ever see on the transitway in our lifetime.  

Here is an alleged preview of what the County has promised to deliver on in the next 3 years.

Taken from Miami-Dade County sources:

Preview of the South Corridor

The South Corridor will be an all encompassing approach to bringing contemporary mass transit solutions to Miami Dade County residents. Take a look at what the future South Corridor of Miami Dade County Transit will look like in the video below!

From an official Miami-Dade County Press Release:

MIAMI-DADE – The Miami-Dade Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) took a historic step on Aug. 30 in selecting a Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) to move forward with the first leg of the six-corridor SMART Plan.

The County can now move forward with applying for federal funds to pay for up to $100 million of the estimated $300 million project, which could begin service within the next few years and run along the existing South Dade Transitway from Dadeland to Florida City. “The selection of this LPA by the TPO today is a historic step toward delivering greater transportation options from the Dadeland area to Florida City on the South Corridor,” said Chairman Esteban Bovo Jr. “This long-overdue selection of premium rapid transit, which will feature many of the benefits of rail – including dedicated lanes, iconic stations with ticket kiosks, wide doors for group boardings, climate controlled and level boarding platforms, and rail-like gate arms to block traffic at intersections – places us in the right direction for the residents of South Dade. Ultimately, this action by the TPO will allow the County to partner with both the state and federal government partners on providing key matching funds that are crucial for the infrastructure needed to deliver on the fulfillment on the Miami-Dade SMART Plan.” See the premium rapid transit demonstration video here: https://vimeo.com/284857311/0bdb07a838

 My efforts continue as the County record of delivery on transit is poor at best.

You can count on me to maintain the efforts to force the County to keep their promise on transit and the 1/2 cent transportation sales tax.

Your Mayor

Eugene Flinn

Ominous clouds of development – Southland mall in foreclosure and therefore in play. What will be and will it be for better or for worse? It could be spectacular or spectacularly bad.

Southland Mall – the expect demise is not making many happy. Cutler Ridge / Southland Mall has been home to dinner / movie night for many of us, but this mall has not been thriving for quite some time. Sorry to see this mall go in the present form, as it has some good restaurants and a great, convenient movie theater. Who remembers Lord & Taylor, Dillard’s? What anchors remain there are ghosts of prior selves: Sears and JC Penny’s. Other current large anchor tenants include TJ Maxx, Regal Cinemas and LA Fitness.

Southland Mall, formerly known as Cutler Ridge Mall, opened in 1960. It was renovated in 2005. It was originally hammered by Hurricane Andrew. The Coronavirus pandemic merely hastened this current sad situation where the mall has now gone into foreclosure – see “The Real Deal” online south Florida real estate news: Wells Fargo seeks to foreclose on Southland Mall in Cutler Bay, TRD MIAMI / June 09, 2020, by Keith Larsen

Also see Miami Herald online: Investors foreclose on Southland Mall in Cutler Bay for defaulting on payment, by Rene Rodriguez and Rebecca San Juan, June 10, 2020.

The lawsuit alleges the mall owner, Investcorp, defaulted on its debt payments in April. 

Something is going to happen at the Southland Mall site. The question is what and how much.

The Word On The Street: “Major players” are circling looking at obtaining it to tear down and build to the standards set up in Cutler Bay planning code.

Existing Property rights: For this site is 20 story max – 5,500 unit density (or Palmetto Bay’s entire DUV on a single site in Cutler Bay). Plus commercial. I also note that this Southland site is contained within a unified parcel. The above does not include the Macy’s and Sears parcels which have their own density, which I believe is up to 250 units per acre in what Cutler Bay code considers to be the core area.

Fair Questions? I wonder if the former unsolicited bid group – the $72 Million entertainment district group will appear at Southland?

IMPACT: (discussed below – overall, for Cutler Bay and for Palmetto Bay)

Overall: This will impact the bus lanes – the councils of Palmetto Bay and Cutler Bay should join together and renew a push for the metrorail extension, rather than continue to acquiesce on the shinier, better bus (BRT). This is why metrorail should be extended at least down to 211^th (adjacent to the Southland property). This could be a true Transit Oriented Development (TOD). AN opportunity missed and another example as to how there is little vision paid to the real future needs for transit in South Miami-Dade.

For Cutler Bay: A potential entertainment district destination for their town, their residents. Road impact fees and an increase in ad valorum taxes that can be used to enhance their town and address traffic issues. The Town Council could possibly extract assistance from any applicant to address traffic issues that impact Cutler Bay.

For Palmetto Bay:  US1 is at a standstill which will be made worse. The promise of the BRT may have all the same impact as the general promise of the ½ cent transportation sales tax – in other words – not much. The reality may end up being further traffic diversion off US1 east to 87 Avenue and Old Cutler Road. Bridge? No doubt. The Character of ‘old’  87 avenue transforming from neighborhood roads to a 4 lane surface highway as we have in Doral south through to Westchester. There will be no road impact fees or increase in village ad valorum taxes that can be used to enhance Palmetto Bay or to address any new traffic issues.

What properties are included in this foreclosure and which will be involved in any redevelopment? I reviewed the property records posted online with Miami-Dade County. These appear to be the relevant properties:

CUTLER RIDGE MALL SUB SEC 1 - 36-6007-020-0020 - 671,239 Sq.Ft.

Listed owner: SOUTHLAND MALL PROPERTIES LLC

CUTLER RIDGE MALL SUB SEC 2 - 36-6007-020-0030 -  85,973 Sq.Ft.

Listed owner: SOUTHLAND MALL PROPERTIES LLC

CUTLER RIDGE MALL SUB SEC 3 - 36-6007-020-0040 -  81,415 Sq.Ft.

Listed owner: SOUTHLAND MALL PROPERTIES LLC

CUTLER RIDGE MALL SUB SEC 4 - 36-6007-020-0010 - 146,658 Sq.Ft.

Listed owner: ALL STORES REALTY CORP

CUTLER RIDGE MALL Unplatted - 36-6007-000-0546 - 193,422 Sq.Ft

Listed owner: SERITAGE SRC FINANCE LLC

CLICK HERE to access the folder where I have posted .PDF print outs of the above property records.

Note that this list appears not to include the outparcels along US1 (including the Arby's and Olive Garden restaurants)  Nor does it include the Mercedes dealership or the two office buildings (the former Town Hall site).

The bottom line: Get a head of this before it has an opportunity to overwhelm us. Are the current officials up to the challenges? Believe me, this site, done properly or not, clearly has the potential to profoundly change both Cutler Bay and Palmetto Bay. The question is will it be for better or worse?

The irony - the Southland carousel (pictured above).  Many years of good fun for kids, but now Southland is going to get South Dade started on the next go-round relating to density. Hop on.

We lost the 174th Street Station? I feel left out of the loop. Did I miss the announcement or were Palmetto Bay elected officials not going to tell us?

It appears that there will be no transit station at or near 174 to serve Palmetto Bay. I think it is important. Last I saw, the current mayor was walking the proposed site at Banyan Road with the current Manager for a photo op.  Meanwhile, who was watching the County plans and the bid eventually put out?

So did the County actually drop the 174th street station? This was a key need for the Palmetto Bay downtown. What a shame if true as a transit stop at 174 would have greatly assisted mass transit mobility for the Palmetto Bay downtown area. Significant effort went into working with Miami-Dade County to place a transit station at 174th (near Banyan Street). The goal was a rail station, but regardless, this location is sorely needed 174 to serve Palmetto Bay's downtown even if merely BRT. So much for negotiation and partnership as there is no lawsuit that could compel any agreement between property owners, the County and Palmetto Bay.

The lack of 174th street may been seen as permanent (in our lifetimes) as I have been advised by Miami-Dade County sources that the transit stations project is out to bid, deadline October 23, 2019.  Don't expect a change order to the level of adding a additional station.

Responsibility for this falls both upon our Palmetto Bay elected leaders as well as our local district County Commissioner. This is a County project, but the station is (or was) critical to the Palmetto Bay downtown. 

The impact of no station at 174th should be discussed and included, provided for, in the ongoing DUV revisions.

I'd love to see an accounting of what meetings were held, the advocacy performed by our current mayor and council in regard to fighting for a station at 174. Perhaps the matter was never on their list of priorities or simply fell through the cracks. Perhaps they did not even know or care.

WHERE WILL THE STATIONS BE PLACED: Palmetto Bay will be served by transit stations at 136, 152, 168 and 184.  I have posted a photo of a rendering of where the proposed transit stations will be located.

Again - not getting the 174th Station is bad for traffic issues in Palmetto Bay. Failure to communicate on this issue is troubling. Perhaps our current officials were hoping we the people would not take notice.  Wrong.

NOTE: There is a zoning hearing set for October 31, before the Board of County Commissioners for a property in Miami-Dade County – to be build west side of the busway – Perhaps an objection should be made through Palmetto Bay with an urging that this developer privately fund and build a public transit stop at Franjo/Banyan Street. 

AAPUSHANA INVESTMENT, LLC. Z2019000118

Location: Lying south of Hibiscus Street, north of Indigo Street, between  the South Dade Transitway and South Dixie Highway, Miami-Dade County, Florida. 

Size of property: 1.5 Acres

The applicant is requesting a district boundary change from BU-3 (Liberal Business District) and IU-1 (Light Industrial Manufacturing District) to PECUCD (Perrine Community Urban Center District).

This hearing might be our (Palmetto Bay’s) last best chance for a station at Hibiscus/174  or anywhere within the Palmetto Bay ‘downtown’.

RELATED POSTS  CLICK HERE to view prior series of posts relating to Palmetto Bay and the fight (up to October 2018) for rail as well as the current Palmetto Bay council acquiescence for BRT (since January 2019)

Long sought relief for South Miami Dade traffic woes or is this just another delay - more kicking the can down the bus/transitway?

Rail or bust?  Is a bus that rolls like a bus, quacks like a bus, is limited in number of passengers like a bus and not fully funded like the promised BRT of the early 2000s still just a bus; or is this a (certainly not "the") real solution? Have we reached the point of "rail or repeal"?

How are we going to measure success or compliance with spending of the 1/2 Cent Sales Tax? there is a serious question here on the half-cent sales tax we approved in 2002.

See Miami Herald online of July 30, 2017, by Douglas Hanks, A Miami-Dade rarity: a speedy bus route that’s actually attracting passengers

Palmetto Bay is part of "the other side" part of the community represented by, as the Miami Herald states:

"... county commissioners and city leaders blasting the notion of Miami-Dade once again abandoning a countywide expansion of Metrorail first promised to voters in a 2002 referendum. Voters approved a half-percent sales tax for transportation that so far has generated about $2.8 billion in revenue and less than three miles of new rail."

The current Palmetto Bay council has consistently pushed for light rail - in numerous official village resolutions, town hall meetings and in public comments - ALL unanimous statements.

“We are not going to settle for bus in South Dade,” said Peggy Bell, the mayor of Cutler Bay. “Most cities within the United States have good rail systems for commuters. That is what was promised to the residents. And that’s what they want.”

State Rep. McGhee may be foreshadowing a community initiative to repeal a tax many perceive to be miss-applied, The Herald's Doug Hanks quotes Rep. McGee on BRT:

“I think it’s a joke,” Rep. Kionne McGhee who represents South Dade in Tallahassee, said of upgrading the busway. Given the promises of more rail made to voters in 2002 for the transportation tax, McGhee said buses should be considered a surrender on that original effort. “The whole objective is rail,” he said. “If there is going to be a push for more buses, then it is only logical that the people stop paying into the half-penny tax.”

This article is an important read onto the efforts/fight for mass transit to date in South Miami-Dade County.

For additional background, please see prior related post of May 15, 2017, Unified leadership - Mayors Peggy Bell & Eugene Flinn issue a joint statement about collaboration and the need for long term transit solution - Cutler Bay Mayor Peggy Bell and I released our joint statement, in part: 

The Town of Cutler Bay and the Village of Palmetto Bay are dedicated to working together to find solutions to the traffic challenges our residents face daily. We are committed to obtaining Rail Mass Transit for South Dade, which is the most important way to address the explosive growth that continues to occur in South Dade. This growth is not due solely to our two municipalities. Cities south of us and unincorporated Miami Dade County residents must drive through these same streets to get to their destinations.

Are transit officials listening?   The overwhelming mood of the South Miami-Dade communities is "RAIL or REPEAL!"