Palmetto Bay and Cutler Bay residents could see gains in transit, trails and homeownership aid under priorities State Sen. Alexis Calatayud laid out Sept. 3.
Calatayud, whose district stretches from Key Biscayne to the Homestead Air Reserve Base, appeared on the "Mobility Matters" podcast hosted by Javier Betancourt, executive director of the Citizens' Independent Transportation Trust, or CITT.
"We can't build our way out of traffic, because we're landlocked," Calatayud said. "And so really, alternative modes is the only solution."
Calatayud Backs Tri-Rail Funding Restoration and Northeast Corridor Rail Project
Calatayud discussed preserving Tri-Rail and advancing the Northeast Corridor commuter rail project. Tri-Rail carried a record 4.5 million passengers last year. As of May, state lawmakers appeared poised to restore the full $60 million funding request from the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority, Florida Politics reported. Tallahassee had slashed that support to $15 million the prior year, prompting warnings that Tri-Rail could halt operations by mid-2027.
The Northeast Corridor, also called the Coastal Link, is a planned $927 million commuter rail line that would run east of Interstate 95 with stations in Wynwood, Little Haiti, North Miami and other neighborhoods. As of February 2026, Miami-Dade officials said the state budget had derailed funding for that project.
South Dade Trail, Ludlam Trail and Underline Highlighted as Mobility Corridors
The senator highlighted mobility corridors including the South Dade Trail, the Ludlam Trail and the Underline. The podcast description listed the South Dade Trail among the topics but did not detail Calatayud's specific proposals.
Separately, the South Dade TransitWay, a Bus Rapid Transit corridor running from Dadeland South Metrorail to SW 344th Street, serves Palmetto Bay and Cutler Bay directly. As of October 2025, construction was 99% complete with all 14 stations finished.
Miami-Dade commissioners approved a $9.5 million design contract for the 5.6-mile Ludlam Trail on July 21. The county has spent $42 million on the project so far, including buying most of the corridor from Florida East Coast Railway, but the trail remains fenced off and undeveloped. Commissioner Natalie Milian Orbis said administrators put the total cost at $180 million, the Miami Herald reported.
The 10-mile Underline, a linear park beneath Metrorail, was scheduled for completion in October 2026, according to the Miami Herald.
Hometown Heroes Housing Program Set for $50 Million Boost
Calatayud also discussed the Hometown Heroes Housing Program, which helps teachers, health care workers, first responders and other eligible first-time buyers with down payments and closing costs. Florida's 2026 budget adds $50 million to the program, Florida Politics reported.
The program offers up to 5% of the loan amount, capped at $35,000, as a zero-interest deferred second mortgage. The loan comes due when the home is sold, refinanced or no longer used as a primary residence. Military service members and veterans also qualify.
Calatayud said on the podcast she envisions building a better mobility system for South Florida's workforce "poco a poco, bit by bit, track by track."
