Resolution 2019-30756 RESOLUTION NO. 2019-30756
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION
OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, APPROVING
AND AUTHORIZING THE APPROPRIATION OF
BUDGETED FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $25,000 TO
TRANSIT ALLIANCE FOR THE BETTER BUS PROJECT.
WHEREAS, Transit Alliance is a local, non-profit organization advocating
for walkable streets, bikeable neighborhoods, and better public transit in Miami-Dade
County; and
WHEREAS, Transit Alliance's campaigns combine data-driven
research, community engagement, and policy advocacy intended to get Miami-Dade
moving safer, faster, and happier; and
WHEREAS, Transit Alliance recently approached the City Administration to
introduce the Better Bus Project, which is intended to redesign and streamline the
County's current bus routes for greater efficiency and effectiveness; and
WHEREAS, the Better Bus Project is an intensive 2-year community-driven
project to build a better bus system, stem ridership loss, and position the system for
ridership growth by creating more effective service; and
WHEREAS, Transit Alliance's Better Bus Project will be modeled upon best
practices, tools, methods, and processes used in other cities around the country that
have been executing similar projects to redesign their bus systems; and
WHEREAS, Miami-Dade Transit currently operates ten (10) bus routes that
serve the City of Miami Beach, and some of these routes, such as the 119 (S), 120
(Beach Express), and 150 (Airport Express) are among the routes with the highest
ridership in the County; and
WHEREAS, there has been a steady decline in bus ridership over the past
several years, but through the Better Bus Project, the current County bus service in
Miami Beach has the potential to be redesigned and improved for greater efficiency
and ridership potential and better serve the Miami Beach community; and
WHEREAS, strategic integration of the bus and trolley systems will also be
evaluated as part of the Better Bus Project; and
WHEREAS, the redesign is designed to be operationally cost-neutral, excluding
the one-time cost to implement the new bus network; and
WHEREAS, given the anticipated improvements and benefits of a redesigned
bus transit network for residents, visitors, and workforce in the City of Miami Beach,
the Administration recommends that the Mayor and City Commission approve and
appropriate a funding contribution of $25,000 to Transit Alliance for its Better Bus
Project; and
WHEREAS, the financial contribution in the amount of $25,000 will be funded
by the Transportation Department's Fiscal Year 2018/19 Operating Budget, account
106-9615-000349-30-403-529-00-00-00.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND THE
CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA that the Mayor and
City Commission hereby approve and authorize the appropriation of budgeted funds in
the amount of$25,000 to Transit Alliance for the Better Bus Project.
PASSED and ADOPTED this 13th day of March, 2019
ATTEST: ---
Dan
Dan Gelber, Mayor
3ity 2r
Rafael E. Granado, Clerk APPROVED AS TO
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MIAMI BEACH
COMMISSION MEMORANDUM
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Jimmy L. Morales, City Manager
DATE: March 13, 2019
SUBJECT:A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY
OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, APPROVING A CONTRIBUTION IN THE
AMOUNT OF $25,000 TO TRANSIT ALLIANCE FOR THE BETTER BUS
PROJECT.
RECOMMENDATION
The Administration recommends that the Mayor and City Commission approve the Resolution.
BACKGROUND
Transit Alliance is a local, non-profit organization advocating for walkable streets, bikeable
neighborhoods, and better public transit in Miami-Dade County. Its campaigns combine data-
driven research, community engagement, and policy advocacy intended to get Miami-Dade
moving safer, faster, and happier.
Recently, Transit Alliance approached the Administration to introduce the Better Bus Project
which is intended to redesign and streamline the County's current bus routes for greater
efficiency and effectiveness. The Better Bus Project is an intensive 2-year community-driven
project to build a better bus system, starting with a complete redesign of the route network. Two
out of three transit trips in Miami-Dade are on buses. The County has an extensive bus transit
network with local, limited, and express service architected around several terminals and
Metrorail service. A goal of the redesign is to stem ridership loss and position the system for
ridership growth by creating more effective service.
The overall network is somewhat aligned to the street grid, but stands to benefit from several
key systemwide improvements:
— Increase in high-frequency services
— Creating more viable connections
— Serving new high population/employment centers
— Resolving low productivity and "rollercoaster" routes
— Integration of key municipal circulators
The biggest outcome of the project is anticipated to be a new bus network that is more useful for
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more people. Transit Alliance anticipates accomplishing this by concentrating frequent service,
building better connections, and creating a stronger network. The Better Bus Project will also be an
opportunity to drive new goals around dedicated infrastructure, reliability, user experience, and trolley
integration.
Cities around the country have been executing similar projects to redesign their bus systems, and
most have been successful. Transit Alliance's Better Bus Project will be modeled upon best
practices, tools, methods, and processes used in other cities.
The redesign is designed to be operationally cost-neutral, excluding the one-time cost to
implement the new bus network.
Miami-Dade Transit currently operates ten (10) bus routes that serve the City of Miami Beach.
Some of these routes, such as the 119 (S), 120 (Beach Express), and 150 (Airport Express)
are among the routes with the highest ridership in the County. However, there has been a
steady decline in ridership over the past several years. Through Transit Alliance's Better Bus
Project, the current County bus service in Miami Beach has the potential to be redesigned and
improved for greater efficiency and ridership potential and better serve the residents, visitors,
and work force of our City. Strategic integration of the bus and trolley systems will also be
evaluated as part of the Better Bus Project.
At the recent meeting between Transit Alliance and the Administration to discuss the Better Bus
Project, Transit Alliance requested Miami Beach's endorsement and, if possible, a financial
contribution of $25,000 for the Project. Miami-Dade County is also a funding partner in the
Better Bus Project and has agreed to work with Transit Alliance and carryout the implementation of
the bus network redesign project.
The total cost of the Better Bus Project is approximately$630,000 and Transit Alliance has currently
raised over$550,000 to fund the effort.
ANALYSIS
According to the information provided by Transit Alliance, the Better Bus Project consists of the
following three (3) main components:
1. Expertise
Entails hiring a team who has completed similar projects across the country to support Transit
Alliance and the Miami-Dade Transit Department with data analysis, network planning and service
evaluations. This best practice comes from other cities and similar projects and is necessary to
achieve the best possible results.
2. Community Engagement
Entails engaging residents, riders, stakeholders, elected officials, departments, and other entities
during the process to collaboratively plan the new network. This involves setting up several
communication channels both online and offline — from meeting riders on the ground across the
County (portable workshops), to an interactive website, to formal public meetings to iterate on draft
network designs.
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3. Project Management
Entails coordinating the timeline, budget, and the day-to-day execution of every aspect of the project.
Below is the scope provided by Transit Alliance for the Better Bus Project:
Project Management
• Project Timeline&Coordination
• Data Aggregation & Preparation
• Community Engagement
• Subcontractor Provisioning
Stakeholder Engagement
• Riders & Residents
• Elected Officials
• Community Stakeholders
• MDTPW
• CITT, TPO, League of Cities, and other municipal/legislative representatives
Communications
• Brand &Strategy
• Website
• Print Materials
CONCLUSION
Given the anticipated improvements and benefits of a redesigned bus transit network for
residents, visitors, and workforce in the City of Miami Beach, the Administration recommends
that the Mayor and City Commission approve a funding contribution of $25,000 to Transit
Alliance for its Better Bus Project.
KEY INTENDED OUTCOMES SUPPORTED
Ensure Comprehensive Mobility Addressing All Modes Throughout The City
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Should the City Commission approve this item, a financial contribution in the amount of$25,000
will be funded by the Transportation Department's Fiscal Year 2018/19 Operating Budget.
Amount 1 $25,000 Account 1 106-9615-000349-30-403-529-00-00-00
Legislative Tracking
Transportation
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
o DO NOT PRINT --ACCT SUMMARY
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Based on FY2018/19 quarter 1 projections this fund was showing a savings
in their operating budget of $290,000
Account
Fund 1106 ,,.ITransporta Acct 1106-9615-000349-30-403-529-00-00-00- 1
---7--_--
__ _
Org 110600040 L Transporta Acct name Other Contractual Services I 0 Account Notes
Object 1000349 1=1OtherCont Type 'Expense V_ Status'Active V:
Project I 1...1 o Rollup L__ __1,,1 10
Sub-Rollup L I„I 0
0 MultYr Fund
4 Year Comparison Current Year History
Yr/Per 2019106 Fiscal Year 2019 Fiscal Year 2018 Fiscal Year 2017 Fiscal Year 2020
_
Original Budget ( [ 7,105,000.00 [ [ ad8,101,000.00 ( L_ 8,475,000.00
Transfers In (_ 188,000.001 0 I 256,000.001 0' 1 253,000.001 ; .001 0
Transfers Out I -8,231.001 0 l .%1 0 I -547,000.001 fa I .001 0 J
Revised Budget 1 8,260,769.0g L- _8,731,000.001 IL_ 6,811,000.001 1 -- .001
Actual(Memo) L .2,131,967.321 0, 8,284,994.641 1 5,154,580.9911 0 .001 10
Encumbrances L-`_ 5,449,015.551 0 I •0J 1 _001 I !— — -°1 IS
Requisitions [ _ .00 .001 g
Available 1 -679,786.13, I 446,005.361 r 1,656,419.09 j .001
Percent used L____ 91.771 {- ' 94.891 I 75.681 L_ .001
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