Faster repairs expected for Miami-Dade’s transit elevators, escalators as supply chain issues ease

MIAMI – Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava expects repairs to broken elevators and escalators around Metrorail and Metromover platforms to speed up.

“The parts are starting to come in,” Mayor Levine Cava told CBS News Miami after the final public hearing on the county’s next fiscal year budget.  “There was a huge problem with the supply chain during the pandemic, and we’re beginning to catch up so we can accelerate some of those repairs and replacements.”

The county had 17 elevators and escalators out of service Wednesday, according to Department of Transportation and Public Works data. The number grew to 20 Thursday. That happened as maintenance crews repaired and reopened an elevator at the Freedom Tower Station downtown.

CBS News Miami Reporter Larry Seward asked the mayor, “When will we see fewer elevators and escalators out-of-service around public transportation platforms?”

“You already are seeing fewer elevators and escalators out-of-service,” Mayor Levine Cava responded. “

Some Metro customers struggle to access public transportation because of maintenance issues.

Ernesto Mesa needed medicine Thursday afternoon.  He lives downtown, a few blocks from a pharmacy.  However, his arthritic knees make it so hard to walk that Mesa leans on a cane and public transportation to get around. 

The quickest ride for him rolls overhead near the Adrienne Arsht Center Station: Miami-Dade County’s Metromover. However, the escalator is not working.  A sign suggests passengers use the elevator, but it is down too.  County records suggested repairs to that elevator would be complete on Friday.  Instead, crews need until October to fix a valve.

“That’s important,” Mesa said. “I’m a disabled person.  It’s difficult to get up and down (stairs).”

While some passengers carefully climbed stairs clutching walkers, Mesa chose to wait in the rain for another ride.

“I feel bad, man, real bad,” he said.

Still, 97% of Metrorail and Metromover conveyances are working, according to the mayor and DTPW.  More help is on the way too.

Maintenance crews are beginning to catch up on repairs and potentially have a bigger budget to work with next fiscal year, the mayor said. Her budget proposal includes $20 million for transit repairs and replacement parts, 57% more than what the department had in its last budget.