LTC 314-2009 Miami International Airport Flyer Express Bus RouteOFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
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NO. LTC # 314-2009 LETTER TO COMIv11SSE1~N`;';
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io: Mayor Matti Herrera Bower and Members of the City Commission - , ;
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FROM: Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager I ,~ 'T' --
DATE: November 13, 2009 ((( r .,
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SUBJECT: Miami International Airport Flyer Express Bus Route
The purpose of this Letter to Commission (LTC) is to inform you of the status of the Miami-Dade
Transit (MDT) Route 150 Miami Intemational Airport (MIA) Flyer Express Bus (Airport Flyer). The
Airport Flyer is scheduled to begin on Sunday, December 13, 2009. MDT will provide a seven (7)
day per week bus service. The Airport Flyer will operate from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. with headways every
thirty (30) minutes. The new route will use the regular MDT 40 foot buses with interior luggage
racks. The buses will be branded with a special logo for easy identification, and to help promote
ridership.
The Airport Flyer will be located at the main bus stop at the airport, which is on the Ground Level of
Concourse E, directly across from Customs. The fare will be $2.35, which is the fare for all express
buses. Passengers will also have the option to purchase a daily bus ticket for $5.00 that will allow
them to ride any bus all day in the same direction. Passengers will be able to purchase bus tickets
from a vending machine in the main bus stop waiting area. The electronic vending machine will also
include detailed information on the route.
The Airport Flyer will be bi-directional and will traverse along State Road (SR) 112 with bus stops at
the Tri-Rail Airport Station and at the Earlington Heights Metrorail station, and then will continue east
on Interstate 195/Julia Tuttle Causeway. The first bus stop in Miami Beach will be on 41'" Street at
Alton Road, and then the route will continue east on 41" Street to Indian Creek Drive and south
along Collins Avenue to 16"' Street. The Airport Flyer will stop at all of the existing bus stops along
Collins Avenue and Indian Creek Drive between 41'' Street and 16"' Street. This includes the
existing bus stops on Collins Avenue at 23"' Street. The next stops will be on Washington Avenue
at Lincoln Road and on 17th Street at Convention Center Drive. Please see Attachment 1, Airport
Flyer Bus Route.
The Airport Flyer will provide a connection to the South Beach Local on Washington Avenue at
Lincoln Road and on 17"' Streel at Convention Center Drive. It will also provide connection to the
new Roule 115 Mid-North Beach Connection at the following three locations: 41" Street at Alton
Road. 4T `Street and Sheridan Avenue, and 1 Th Street and Convention Center Drive.
MDT began planning the Airport Flyer as a result of a high ridership demand for a route that
connects MIA to Miami Beach. Multiple requests for such a route were made by the Miami Beach
Transportation and Parking Committee (TPC), by administrative staff at the City of Miami Beach,
and by several large employers in Miami Beach.
An express route from MIA to Miami Beach is also in high demand duc to a large number of tourists
and visitors going to Miami Beach. According to the '2005 Miami Beach Overnight Visitors Profile
Survey conducted by Synovate Miami, in 2005 15 million passengers arrived at MIA, as well as a
significant number of passengers at Broward County Airport (FLL). Of all passengers arriving at MIA
or FLL, 11.3 million people stayed at least one night in Greater Miami, and over 5.3 million stayed
LTC- MIA Airport Express Bus Route
November 13, 2009
Page 2 of 2
specifically in Miami Beach. Domestic visitors accounted for 63% of all overnight visitors to Miami
Beach, while 37% were of international origin.
According to the survey. the main reason people visited Miami Beach was for vacation and/or
pleasure travel. People also visited Miami Beach for business and convention travel, for taking a
cruise, or for visiting friends and relatives. In 2008, there were a total of 460 special events in or
around Miami Beach. including attractions in art, dance, film, theater, music, and sports.
MDT and City staff are coordinating a public outreach event to launch the new Airport Flyer. The
event is scheduled to occur on Monday, December 14.2009 at 10 a.m. at the MIA bus stop waiting
area. The event will include aribbon-cutting ceremony and the presentation of a new Airport Flyer
bus with special branding. Details of the event will be provided in a future LTC.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
Attachment
1. Airport Flyer Bus Route
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