Grades are in for transportation in Miami-Dade County, and from this particular set of evaluators, they’re abysmal.
The non-profit Transit Alliance advocates for better public transportation and more walkable, bike-able streets. In its annual "Mobility Scorecard," the group had withering criticism for county transportation services and said it no longer supports Miami-Dade's rapid transit plan, known as the SMART Plan.
"Once a beacon of hope for transit expansion, the plan has fallen victim to the prioritization of politics over practicality, an overabundance of studies, unrealistic targets and flawed corridor designs repeating the same mistakes," Transit Alliance wrote.
The group gave Metrorail and Metrobus "D" grades because of unreliability and few plans to expand or supplement existing train and bus systems.
County trolley service received an F, and Transit Alliance says Miami-Dade doesn’t even collect data that could be used to evaluate cycling and walking.
The group says it's developing an alternate plan for transit expansion. It recommends a redesign of the county bus system and a focus on programs to improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians.
Transit Alliance also suggested creating a county transit authority -- a single entity to oversee all county public transportation, which is currently fragmented among several departments and cities.
The group is having a release party and Q-and-A on the scorecard on Thursday night.
