For many of UM’s more than 60% of commuter students, the day starts not only with coffee but with bumper to bumper traffic. It’s a daily frustration that could easily be fixed by expanding the city’s public transportation systems.
Cities such as New York and Chicago have incredibly effective public transit systems that assist in moving people faster from place to place. A busy city like Miami needs more transportation options so people can commute with ease.
Publications such as Bloomberg have labeled Miami as a global city. Miami operates as a financial hub for many private equity firms and hedge funds and is the center of significant international trade and commerce.
Global cities demand more access to public transportation due to the amount of people that live and work there. But, Miami’s public transportation is not up to par with other global cities.
Chicago, for example, has several public transit options including an underground metro, a wide ranging elevated train network and commuter trains to and from the suburbs.
Investing in more public transit could significantly reduce traffic congestion on the roads. The more people there are on public transit routes, the fewer people there are on the roads causing traffic. This shift in public transit would not only ease the daily commute for thousands of people, but it would also improve the overall flow of traffic within the city.
Fewer cars on the road also means less CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. Since climate change is a major concern in Miami, adapting to more environmentally friendly forms of transportation will inevitably help our very vulnerable region. An investment in public transportation is an investment in a more sustainable and environmentally conscious South Florida.
The city of Miami can also restrict where personal vehicles are allowed to go. New York City has lanes dedicated to buses and other public transportation vehicles, which is something easily adoptable in Miami.
Bus-only lanes would benefit the many people that rely on public transportation as their only means of transportation. It will also improve the efficiency of public buses, because they are often delayed due to major backups on our roads. Additionally, limiting access for private vehicles in certain areas could incentivize residents into using public transportation as a faster and more efficient alternative to private vehicle usage.
In 2024, Miami-Dade residents voted overwhelmingly in an unofficial August vote to expand the Metrorail to new places across the county. As of now, Metrorail operates two lines, but the plan calls for expanding the orange and green line while adding more lines to connect riders all across Miami-Dade county.
Expanding Metrorail is a necessary first step in ensuring that all of Miami-Dade county has access to vital forms of public transportation. Everyday, Metrorail carries students and commuters to work and class all across Miami-Dade county. And by expanding the Metrorail, it gives people more access to public transportation when it otherwise might not have been available to them.
Even with potential plans to expand Metrorail, Miami’s public transit system remains inadequate for the needs of the growing population.
Miami was built as a car-centric city, so people are more incentivized to use private forms of transportation more than efficient public transportation. The limited walkability of Miami has also made it difficult to encourage residents to want to talk public transit.
If Miami is to become the global city that it wants to be, the local government must invest heavily in its public transportation system. No city can thrive without the use of effective public transportation. Beyond the fact that public transit saves time during our commutes, it’s also an investment in sustainability and our quality of life. For Miami to achieve its global ambitions, it must embrace public transportation for the sake of its future.