City's Department of Transportation reveals challenges in maintaining infrastructure amid budget shortfall

Miami-Dade County's Government Efficiency & Transparency Ad Hoc Committee meeting on July 10, 2025, highlighted significant achievements and ongoing challenges within the Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW). The department reported the successful completion of over 10,000 pothole repairs and the cleaning of more than 440,000 linear feet of stormwater pipes. However, the limited staffing—only 10 employees dedicated to pothole repairs and 6 for sidewalk maintenance—has hindered their ability to address the high volume of service requests effectively.

Despite receiving over 2,000 requests for sidewalk repairs, only about 300 were completed due to resource constraints. The department emphasized the importance of their 3-1-1 system for tracking complaints, although they acknowledged that timely responses are often not feasible with current staffing and funding levels.

On a positive note, DTPW reported a 5.7% increase in ridership across all transportation modes, with metro rail seeing an impressive 11% rise. This growth follows improvements in the bus network, which has led to a 10% increase in weekday riders and over 20% on weekends. The department has also made strides in transit-oriented developments, completing 15 projects that have resulted in over 10,000 new housing units, including 5,000 affordable units.

However, the meeting underscored significant funding challenges, with nearly $2 billion in outstanding public works needs, particularly in bridge repairs and resurfacing programs. The costs of projects have surged by 20-30% since the COVID-19 pandemic, exacerbating the financial strain. Looking ahead, DTPW anticipates a $200 million deficit in fiscal year 2027 for existing transit services, compounded by legislative impacts that have reduced funding from the People's Transportation Plan surtax and state programs.

The committee's discussions highlighted an urgent need for increased dedicated resources to maintain and improve Miami-Dade's transportation infrastructure and services. As the county continues to grow, addressing these funding gaps will be crucial for sustaining the quality and efficiency of public works and transit operations.