MONDAY, OCT 19, 2020‍

TO: Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez, Miami-Dade County
Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners

Dear Mayor Gimenez, Chairwoman Edmonson, and Esteemed Commissioners,

For the past two years, we have worked together to answer important questions about our transitsystem: What would a bus network look like if it was designed from the ground up for the Miami-Dade oftoday? How can we connect more people, to more places, more quickly? Over the past thirty years, howhas our community changed, and how can our bus network finally catch up?

After over 130 events, workshops and presentations, more than 5,000 survey responses, and 1,700 textmessage conversations with transit riders on our buses and trains, our community has answered thisquestion.

The result is the Better Bus Network – a new bus network for Miami-Dade County that transforms ourbus network into a system our community can depend on, now and into the future. A network thatconnects people to more opportunities countywide – from grocery stores, medical centers, educationalinstitutions, or their next job.

This is a network that’s prepared for the challenges our community is facing right now. It is a far moreefficient network with a built-in resiliency plan to carry Miami-Dade forward and through any challengesthat come our way. It delivers equitable service – prioritizing people of color, older adults, people inpoverty, and households with no car. It retools our transit for the economic recovery – with betterevening and weekend service for our essential workers and our returning retail and hospitality workforce.

We now have a pathway to making permanent and lasting change to deliver greater access to ourresidents with transit – while supporting a more connected, affordable, and resilient Miami-Dade County.Most importantly, we have achieved this together, in a data-driven and community-centered process.

On behalf of the undersigned organizations, we support the adoption and subsequent implementation ofthe Better Bus Network, and thank you for your continued service to Miami-Dade County.

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Transit Alliance Miami
Bike Coconut Grove
Catalyst Miami
CLEO Institute
Community Justice Project
Dade Heritage Trust
FirstService Residential
Florida East Coast Industries
Florida Immigrant Coalition
Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce
Greater Miami & the Beaches Hotel AssociationGreen Mobility Network
Health Council of South Florida​​​​​​
League of Women Voters of Miami-Dade
League of Women Voters of Miami-Dade
Miami Climate Alliance
Miami-Dade College (Institute for CivicEngagement & Democracy)
The Miami Foundation
Miami Forward
Miami Homes for All
Miami Workers Center
Radical Partners
Sant La
SMASH Miami
South Florida Community DevelopmentCoalition
Urban Health Partnerships
Wynwood Business Improvement District