Miami-Dade Transportation Committee Meeting – May 13, 2025
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Miami-Dade Transportation Committee Meeting – May 13, 2025
The Miami-Dade Transportation Committee met on May 13, 2025, at 9:00 AM with Chairwoman Eileen Higgins absent. Vice Chair Raquel A. Regalado presided, joined by Commissioners Marleine Bastien, Juan Carlos Bermudez, and Sen. René García. The committee considered public hearings, resolutions, and discussion items, forwarding most to the full Board of County Commissioners (BCC). Key discussions included transit funding, first/last mile services, and a directive to prepare an implementation plan for bus driver body-worn cameras.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Daniela Pierre (Transport Workers Union Local 291 and NAACP Miami-Dade branch president) spoke in opposition to Item 2B (body-worn cameras for bus drivers), urging the committee to defer the item and commending Commissioner Regalado for agreeing to meet with TWU.
- Shannon O'Dell (Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer, Nicklaus Children's Hospital) spoke in favor of Item 1G1, explaining the hospital's transition to Air Methods for air medical transport and the transfer of the certificate of public convenience and necessity.
Discussion Items
- Item 3A – Property Acquisition for NE 159th Street Improvements (Commissioner Bastien): Commissioner Bastien questioned the scope of the project, noting community concerns about road widening, traffic, and safety. Deputy Director Josioffer Diaz stated that the parcel in question (Parcel 1) is owned by the City of North Miami Beach and is not in a residential area. The project includes a five-lane section, but the department is validating the typical section due to community feedback and will hold another public meeting before proceeding. The committee forwarded the item to BCC with a favorable recommendation (4-0).
- Item 2B – Body-Worn Cameras for Bus Drivers (Commissioner Regalado): Commissioner Regalado announced a deferral following discussions with the union and other groups. The item was deferred by a 4-0 vote.
- Transit Budget and First/Last Mile Discussion: Commissioner Regalado stated she does not support raising transit rates, calling for a focus on core services. She proposed pausing first/last mile services like MetroConnect for two years to address budget pressures, requesting cost-per-rider data for the next committee meeting. Commissioner Bermudez raised concerns about service gaps in unincorporated areas and noted that ridership data from a recent article appeared inaccurate. Director Miller clarified that overall ridership is up 2% since the Better Bus Network implementation. CFO Melvin Catanna reported a 10% fare recovery (90% subsidy). Discussion also covered coordination with cities on trolley services, potential for event-based transit pricing, and a pending TPO report on municipal connectivity.
Key Outcomes
- Item 1G1 – Transfer of Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity from Nicklaus Children's Hospital to Rocky Mountain Holdings LLC for air ambulance service was forwarded to BCC with a favorable recommendation (4-0) after a public hearing. The sponsor is Commissioner Kevin Marino Cabrera.
- Item 1G2 – Interlocal agreement between Miami-Dade County and the City of Miami Beach for $245,000 per year for two years for the Mount Sinai Link fixed-route service was forwarded to BCC with a favorable recommendation (4-0).
- Item 2B – Deferred to the next committee meeting by a 4-0 vote.
- Item 3A – Declaration of public necessity for acquisition of Parcel 1 for NE 159th Street improvements was forwarded to BCC with a favorable recommendation (4-0).
- Item 3B, 3C, 3D, 3E, 3F, 3G – All forwarded to BCC with favorable recommendations (4-0 each).
- Directive: The committee requested a report on first/last mile service costs and ridership for the next meeting. An item will be drafted regarding MetroConnect return on investment.
- Adjournment: The meeting adjourned after all votes were taken.
Meeting Transcript
It is my pleasure uh to start uh our transportation um committee meeting. Thank you all for being here. We'll start uh with um I think it's it's like okay, sorry. Okay, everyone's here just visiting, just visiting. Yeah, okay. All right. Um good morning, everyone. So uh we'll we'll have Senator Garcia start us off with uh with a prayer and a pledge. Good morning. Good morning. You're looking so dapper. Your Lord, please guide us and make decisions county remind us that we're ear to serve. We'll have a voice and to make sure that we move this meeting before we read all this and your first day. Um the pause that you saw there were almost trying to get our fall. Thank you, thank you, Senator. Um, and with that, um Madam Clerk, if you could take the roll. Good morning. The clerk's office has received notification that Chairwoman Higgins will be absent from today's meeting. Commissioner Bastian here, Commissioner Bermudez. Senator Garcia. Vice Chair Juan Regalado present or members present, we have a quorum. Thank you. And let the record reflect uh that Commissioner Steinberg is visiting. Um so with that, uh, we will open the reasonable opportunity for the public to be heard. Um I have two cards um and I will read those out, but any every anyone else is here who wants to speak can also uh come up to the podium and speak. We have uh two speakers. I have um one is for one G1, so that's a public hearing, so we're gonna wait on that one. Um the other one is for 2B. Um 2B is actually going to be deferred. Um I've requested a deferral, so we will defer it with the setting of the agenda. So you can speak on it if you want. Uh, but I will be deferring it, and we will be taking it up at the next um at the next committee meeting. So um Daniela Um Perine. I think. I don't know if you want to speak on it or if you want to wait till the next meeting, your call. Good morning, County Commissioners. Daniela Pierre. Oh, Pierre, sorry. Address 7151, Northwest 14th place, Miami, Florida, 3314 7. Uh rising to join the position of the Transport Workers Union, local 291 in opposition to this item. We are grateful, Commissioner Regalado, that you have agreed to meet with TWU and we commend you for doing so on behalf of the NAACP mommy day branch where I serve as president. We also reached out to your office via a phone and in writing, and we look forward to joining that conversation. Thank you kindly. Thank you. All right. Is there anyone else um to speak on any of the non-public hearings? Uh like I said, I have someone for um 1G1. Um, but we have to take those up separately. Okay. Um seeing no one else, we will close the reasonable opportunity for the public to be heard.
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