Miami-Dade budget proposes draining rail fund, bus service cuts

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava announced a plan to reduce bus service and redirect an $89 million reserve currently set aside for future rail projects, reports Douglas Hanks in the Miami Herald.

"The transit budget presented Wednesday by Mayor Daniella Levine Cava would use the one-time reserve dollars to delay the steeper cuts needed to sustain Metrorail, Metromover and the bus system in the coming years as the county’s projected costs significantly exceed its expected revenues."

According to Hanks, the plan would eliminate 12 of the transit system's 74 bus routes that provide roughly 2% of the system's total weekday rides. It would also eliminate late-night service on dozens of other routes.

The rail fund in question, the Transportation Infrastructure Improvement District, held roughly $120 million at the start of 2026. "The reserve replenishes itself each year with new property taxes, and the Levine Cava administration said it expects to spend all of the $89 million forecast for the TIID at the start of 2027."