MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP) — South Florida commuters heading to and from the beach can save some time and money by getting off the roads and onto the water.
Officials launched a free water taxi service on Tuesday, with each 40-foot (12-meter) vessel carrying up to 55 people on a scenic 20-minute trip across Biscayne Bay between Miami and Miami Beach.
Miami Beach Transportation Director Jose Gonzalez said the ultimate goal of the service is to reduce commuting traffic between cities.
“Right now our causeways are full, our roads are full,” Gonzalez said. “However, we have not explored our waterways as a means of movement.”
Water taxi service will operate from the pier at Morris Gibb Memorial Park in Miami Beach and from the Venetian Marina and Yacht Club on the Miami side of the bay. A similar water taxi service has been popular during the past two years during Art Basel Miami Beach, an important part of Miami Art Week.
The city of Miami Beach is located on a barrier island covering approximately 7 square miles (18 square kilometers) across the bay east of the city of Miami.
“We have very limited roads. We only have three causeways that connect us to the mainland,” Gonzalez said. “Congestion is therefore a critical issue for our city. We are constantly looking for ways to address and alleviate congestion and provide better options for our constituents and visitors.”
Boats depart approximately every 60 minutes on weekday mornings and afternoons, and every 30 minutes on weekday evenings. The service will not initially operate on weekends. Once residents and visitors arrive in Miami Beach, they will be able to use the city’s free trolley service.
The new service is expected to cost approximately $1.2 million per year to operate, with half of the funding coming from the City of Miami Beach and the other half from a state grant. While the initial route will only extend east and west, officials hope to add a north-to-south route in the future, subject to funding availability.
Jane Kviat travels from Mexico City to South Florida, taking a round trip on a new water taxi.
“It’s great because they make you feel like you’re on a vacation, and we had a lot of fun,” Kvyat said. “The people here are really friendly and it’s easy to get there and come back and forth and have a good time.”