Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit (SMART) Program

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) – District 6, in Miami, Florida, has been supporting the Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit (SMART) Program that will enhance the region’s public transportation system, bringing a high-quality bus rapid transit (BRT) project, along with automated guideway, commuter rail, and heavy rail transit.

Under the organization’s leadership, and in cooperation with the Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW), a program of public transit projects is advancing, built upon best practices and lessons learned from past efforts.

GFT is the owner’s representative for the six corridor study of premium transport across Miami-Dade County, consisting of three corridors being led by FDOT and three corridors being led by DTPW. Our scope includes reviewing all:

• Engineering.
• Architecture.
• Travel demand forecasting.
• Environmental studies.
• Public involvement.
• Budget and schedule management.
• Overall quality and program management.

We considered a series of transit alternatives, including elevated and at-grade heavy rail, commuter rail, automated guideway transit, light rail transit/modern streetcar, and BRT. Each corridor is currently under consideration for federal funding, and the scope of work conforms to Federal Transit Administration requirements for new starts.

Principle tasks include:

• Maintaining coordination and consistency on approach, methodologies, and engineering standards between all corridors.
• Developing guidelines and standards for unique features and technologies, including at-grade rail alternatives and transit station design.
• Managing a coordinated public outreach program that informs the affected public and invites community input.
• Establishing operational standards and systemwide routing and scheduling.
• Organizing and leading working sessions with the various corridor project teams to establish standards for systemwide rail operations, transit station configuration, and unique street-running rail operations.
• Liaising with partner agencies, elected officials, governing boards, and state and federal officials.

One of the project’s unique aspects was the concept of running Metrorail vehicles in the center and at-grade along existing highways. Our team developed appropriate traffic management and safety features across all transit corridors to enable a one-seat ride throughout the system.

The project is also establishing the statewide standards for BRT system operations, including station design and roadside features that facilitate efficient bus operations through congested corridors.