Miami Beach’s free water taxi carried more than 155,000 passengers from its January launch through September, and the city has received another state transportation grant as it seeks additional funding to expand the service. Mayor Steven Meiner said ridership has exceeded expectations, with more t han 1,000 passengers a day during peak season. According to a city memo, about 8% of passengers have been unable to board because of strong demand and limited vessel capacity. The service, which began Jan. 20, connects Maurice Gibb Memorial Park in Miami Beach with Venetian Marina and Yacht Club in Miami. The crossing takes about 18 minutes. Mr. Meiner said the city has received Florida Department of Transportation grant funding for fiscal year 2027 and plans to contribute city funds toward operating costs. “We’ve gotten the grant funding already for 2027, so we’re good to go with that,” he said. Mr. Meiner said about $1.2 million was allocated for the service’s initial operating period, split evenly between the city and the Florida Department of Transportation. The estimated annual operating cost is $1.45 million. He also said he’s pursuing additional state and federal funding, along with possible contributions from Miami-Dade County and private businesses, to support expansion. “I am very active in securing additional funding from not only state, but we’re looking also at the federal government,” Mr. Meiner said. The city has completed a preliminary feasibility study identifying potential dock locations throughout Miami Beach and across Biscayne Bay. Mr. Meiner said a more detailed study examining infrastructure needs for docks and seawalls is underway and expected to be completed within the next couple of months. The studies would help the city apply for additional grant funding. Potential expansion areas include South of Fifth and North Beach, along with connections to other parts of Miami and Miami-Dade County. Previous plans have identified possible routes connecting South of Fifth with Bayside Marketplace in Miami, Maurice Gibb Memorial Park with Mount Sinai Medical Center and locations in North Beach. Mr. Meiner said he envisions a regional water taxi network connecting communities throughout the county. “I envision for $50 million, which it’s a lot of money, but in ways it’s not a lot of money, we can connect our entire county through the water taxi,” he said. “So I think there’s a great opportunity here.” City planning estimates put the cost of each new floating dock at $300,000 to $500,000. Adding another vessel would cost about $1 million annually. Mr. Meiner said faster vessels could reduce the current 18-minute crossing to about 10 to 12 minutes; however, they would cost more. The service currently operates weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., with hourly departures until 4:30 p.m. and departures every 30 minutes during the evening commute. City figures show more than 99% of scheduled trips were completed through August. Although Mr. Meiner said he would prefer to keep the water taxi free, he acknowledged that a small fare could eventually be considered to help offset costs. “I’d love to see it continue to be free, but certainly we’d consider a small nominal fee,” he said, “if that could increase the efficiency of the service that we’re providing.” Mr. Meiner said previous privately operated water transportation services struggled with higher fares, which influenced his decision to push for a free service. The city has not announced a timeline for adding routes, docks or vessels. Mr. Meiner said officials are continuing to study potential expansion sites and seek additional funding. The post Miami Beach mayor floats a water taxi system expansion appeared first on Miami Today. ...read more read less