ADDRESSING TRANSPORTATION CONCERNS

ChamberSOUTH event Moderator Charles Scurr, Director of the Citizen’s Independent Transportation Trust with Alice N. Bravo, Director of the County Dept. of Transportation & Public Works and Aileen Bouclé, Director of the MP0 (Metropolitan Planning Organization)

The 2015 Urban Mobility Scorecard from the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, the national authority on transportation issues, ranks the south Florida region in 12th place of 15 urban areas with the worst traffic congestion in the nation.   

Efficient and effective mass transit, long and delayed commuter trips, single vehicle occupancy rates, suburban sprawl are all concerns.  Convened by community organizations, elected officials, bureaucrats and business leaders have been focusing on transportation issues affecting our way of life in Miami-Dade County.

In September, The Beacon Council, the county’s economic development agency hosted its monthly “Access Breakfast” to address these concerns.  County Commissioner and Chair of the Transportation Committee Estefan Bovo, matter-of-factly told attendees: “If you expect policy makers to unite on an overall plan, you’ll grow old in your car.  Business leaders need to drive this.”

In mid-March the Latin Builders Association presented its “Signature Breakfast Building Transportation” event, hosted at the law offices of Bilzin Sumberg in downtown Brickell.

“Taking the lead and working with the public and private sectors to develop solutions to our traffic challenges in order to create a more vibrant, livable, sustainable Miami-Dade County is a top legislative priority of the LBA as it affects economic development, affordability and quality of life in our community,” said Alex Lastra, LBA President.

And at its March General Membership Breakfast at the Dadeland Marriott ChamberSOUTH’s Governmental Affairs and Transportation Committees held a Transportation Summit, with 37 elected and appointed officials in attendance, addressing short-term and long range solutions.  Elected officials provided opening remarks, with County Commissioner Xavier Suarez telling the audience: “Don’t think like a government official, it doesn’t work.” A discussion panel and Q&A followed with senior county officials.

Clearly business leadership needs to push for prioritized solutions throughout the county and work with the key government officials whose mission is to implement transportation, transit and mobility solutions.