FYI Miami: September 28, 2023

Bellow are some of the FYIs in this week’s edition. The entire content of this week’s FYIs and Insider sections is available by subscription only. To subscribe click here.

TRANSIT CATCHING UP: July public transit use in Miami-Dade rose an impressive 31.4% from July 2022, recording 6.26 million total rides, but that was still down 2.3% from July 2019, the final July before the covid pandemic cost the system almost half of its riders. The largest percentage gain was in the bus system, where riders in July were 40.6% more numerous than in July 2022. Even that gain in bus riders left the system down 22.1% compared with July 2019. The fare-free Metromover gained 24.2% in riders from July to July, but that was 14% fewer than in July 2019. Metrorail recorded a 7.3% gain in passengers year over year, but still was down 27.9% from July 2019.

BRIGHTLINE SAFETY FUNDING: The Federal Railroad Administration will fund up to $1.648 billion for a trespassing identification and classification system for Brightline, it was announced Monday. The project aims to develop AI-driven software to Pinpoint trespassing locations and trespasser behavior. The initiative is part of a strategy to reduce rail trespassing in South Florida. The software will enable real-time computer analysis and data aggregation of trespass activity along the shared Florida East Coast Railway and Brightline corridor. The information will guide targeted infrastructure, enforcement, and education for Brightline, local partners, and the Florida Department of Transportation. Brightline and Wi-Tronix will jointly provide a 20% non-federal funding match. Brightline has battled rail fatalities along its line.

TRANSPORTATION FUND FLOW: Miami-Dade commissioners have voted to apply for a federal transportation grant of almost $149 million that would yield $49 million for preventive bus maintenance, $8 million for Metromover train control, $15 million in equipment to collect bus and Metrorail fares, $1 million for vanpool program capital costs, $36 million for lease-purchase financing for buses and guideway bridge inspections, nearly $34 million in preventive railway maintenance, nearly $5 million for articulated electric buses and more. Coupled with the federal monies would be $37 million in a state grant, for a total of $186 million in transportation upgrades.

REALTY CASH SALES UP: Cash deals in residential real estate resales represented 40.3% of Miami closed sales in August, compared to 39.7% in August 2022, according to the Miami Association of Realtors. About 27% of US home sales are made in cash. Cash sales accounted for 49.8% of all Miami existing condo sales and 27.9% of single-family transactions.