Sunny Isles Beach hears county plan to boost local shuttle frequency; worst-case cost to city estimated at $250,000

Miami‑Dade County transit planners presented a proposed reconfiguration of the Sunny Isles Beach (SIB) shuttle that would add bidirectional service every 35 minutes, extend operating hours and restore closer stops for some residential buildings.

Linda Morris, chief of service planning and scheduling for Miami‑Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works, told the commission the Better Bus Network review produced several regional options and the county’s route planners picked a solution they believe “serves our residents best” while improving connections to the regional network. She said the change would not require an additional bus but would extend the span of service and staffing, and she cited a worst‑case local cost of roughly $250,000 per year.

“The proposal is a bidirectional route every 35 minutes,” Morris said. “It’s a huge increase in service.” She also described a July change for Route 75 that will terminate at Government Center and provide a half‑hour frequency for Marion Towers, replacing an hourly corridor the previous Route E provided.

Residents and commissioners raised practical concerns. A resident who asked to speak as “David” said the Milam’s stop appears to have been removed on the new map and warned many elderly riders rely on stops that place them near Publix and other plazas; he asked for a chance to provide written feedback to staff. Morris acknowledged the map would need tweaking and recommended submitting comments to the city clerk so staff could incorporate them.

Commissioners pressed the county on who would pay for earlier start times and additional driver hours. Staff and county presenters said the $250,000 estimate was a conservative, worst‑case figure intended to avoid returning later for more money. City staff noted SIB receives a half‑penny transit surtax allocation from Miami‑Dade County and said that surplus has historically funded the city shuttle program; that fund could be used to absorb the first‑year cost rather than immediately raising local taxes.

County planners said the November Better Bus Network launch represented the largest change in 40 years and that future adjustments would be incremental. Morris said the county plans periodic service changes (March, July and November in a typical year) and will continue to refine service with municipal partners.

Commissioners asked staff to collect resident feedback, to confirm exact fiscal impacts for the current and next fiscal years, and to return with a more detailed budget recommendation if the commission wants to invest additional city funds in the shuttle. The county and city staff said they will coordinate further with Aventura, Hallandale Beach and other partners to resolve low‑ridership legs and to explore subsidies for senior fares where Broward County and Miami‑Dade fare policies diverge.

Next steps: staff will accept written comments, continue coordination with Miami‑Dade and neighboring municipalities, refine cost estimates, and return to the commission with a budget recommendation if the city elects to supplement service.