Coral Gables' Transportation Advisory Board will review trolley funding, intersection congestion and citywide traffic calming when it meets Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 5:30 p.m.

The seven-member board, chaired by Roland Rodriguez, is scheduled to meet in the First Floor Conference Room at 427 Biltmore Way, according to the meeting agenda. Residents can also participate via Zoom.

Southern Loop trolley faces funding questions

The board will examine ridership figures for the city's trolley system, including the Southern Loop route, which launched in November 2025 along Ponce de Leon Boulevard between the Douglas Road Metrorail station and Red Road.

The route began operating with a one-year Florida Department of Transportation grant that divided costs between the state and city. Coral Gables contributed approximately $204,000, while FDOT provided about $196,000, the Coral Gables Gazette reported in March.

Matt Anderson, the city's assistant director of Mobility and Sustainability, told the board at its March 17 meeting that state transit funding had become increasingly difficult to secure. Fewer than a dozen of more than 30 FDOT grant applications had been approved statewide, according to the Gazette.

By May, the Southern Loop was approaching 2,000 riders per month, up from fewer than 1,000 during its first month but still below the initial projection of 3,500, according to the Gazette's July reporting.

The city's overall mobility budget had reached approximately $5 million, compared with about $3.1 million in annual revenue from Miami-Dade County's half-penny transportation sales tax. Parking revenues were helping cover the difference, the Gazette reported.

Pedestrian scramble proposal returns for discussion

The board will revisit traffic concerns at Ponce de Leon Boulevard and U.S. 1, along with a proposed pedestrian scramble study at Ponce de Leon Boulevard and Bird Road.

A pedestrian scramble stops vehicle traffic in all directions during a dedicated signal phase, allowing people to cross diagonally as well as straight across.

The board voted 4-1 in December 2025 to recommend a study to the City Commission, according to the Gazette's December coverage.

Rodriguez cited existing scramble crosswalks at Sunset Drive and Southwest 57th Avenue and in Brickell as potential models. Board member Henry Pinera opposed the recommendation, citing concerns about congestion and insufficient pedestrian-volume data.

The City Commission later postponed action and requested additional review. The proposal remained on the board's agenda in September.

Citywide traffic calming measures are also scheduled for discussion.

Public meeting follows attendance challenges

The board has struggled to maintain attendance. As of July, it had held only two official meetings in 2026, according to the Gazette. A July 21 session failed to reach a quorum, preventing formal votes.

The October agenda includes approval of September meeting minutes, although it does not establish whether the board reached a quorum at that session.

The Oct. 20 meeting is open to the public. Residents requiring disability accommodations should contact ADA coordinator Clifford Friedman at 305-722-8686 at least three business days in advance.