Miami-Dade County Completes Landmark $300 Million South Dade TransitWay BRT Corridor with All-Electric Bus Fleet

Transformative Rapid Transit for South Florida Communities

MIAMI, Florida — Marking a major milestone in regional public transportation, the Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW) has completed full commissioning of the landmark $300 million South Dade TransitWay Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project. As the flagship inaugural corridor of Miami-Dade’s Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit (SMART) Program, the project transforms a 20-mile dedicated busway into a high-capacity, rapid transit line connecting Florida City and Homestead directly to the Dadeland South Metrorail station.

Commuters traveling through Cutler Bay, Palmetto Bay, and Pinecrest will experience substantial reductions in travel times, with peak-period transit journeys slashed by over 30 percent compared to conventional local bus routes. The corridor serves as a vital economic lifeline for southern Miami-Dade, providing reliable, rapid access to major employment hubs in Downtown Miami, Brickell, and the Health District without sitting in gridlocked traffic along U.S. 1 (South Dixie Highway).

Fourteen Modernized Stations with Pre-Paid Boarding

The upgraded corridor features 14 newly constructed, architecturally distinctive transit stations engineered with enclosed, air-conditioned passenger vestibules tailored for South Florida's subtropical climate. Designed for maximum passenger throughput, the stations incorporate level platform boarding, turnstile-controlled pre-paid fare collection, dynamic digital screens broadcasting real-time bus arrivals, and emergency call boxes linked to the county transit security operations center.

In addition to passenger comfort, the TransitWay integrates advanced Transit Signal Priority (TSP) technology across dozens of major signalized intersections. Coordinated via computerized fiber-optic loops, the traffic management system holds green lights for approaching transit vehicles, ensuring unimpeded express travel along the dedicated right-of-way.

100% Zero-Emission 60-Foot Articulated Electric Bus Fleet

Powering the new service is a dedicated fleet of 60-foot battery-electric articulated buses manufactured by New Flyer of America. Capable of carrying up to 100 passengers per vehicle, the quiet, low-floor electric buses produce zero direct tailpipe emissions, preventing thousands of metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually.

To support continuous high-frequency operations, DTPW constructed high-power depot charging hubs and overhead pantograph fast-chargers at terminal turnaround points in Florida City and the Dadeland South Metrorail station. The regenerative braking systems recapture kinetic energy during frequent stops, maximizing vehicle battery range and reducing brake wear across grueling daily commute schedules.

Economic Revitalization and Transit-Oriented Urban Growth

Miami-Dade County civic leaders highlighted that the South Dade TransitWay represents a model for sustainable urban growth. Along the 20-mile spine, the county’s Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) zoning guidelines are actively stimulating private capital investment, fostering affordable and workforce housing complexes, retail plazas, and walkable pedestrian corridors surrounding key stations.

By integrating seamlessly with the existing 25-mile heavy-rail Metrorail network and local countywide feeder buses, the South Dade BRT provides equitable, clean, and rapid mobility for over 100,000 residents, setting a standard for rapid transit modernizations across the southeastern United States.