Miami, Florida. January 22, 2024.- On January 18, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava addressed the County’s unprecedented investment of $7 billion in capital improvements and $1.7 billion in maintenance upgrades at Miami International Airport (MIA). Mayor Levine Cava also provided an update on MIA’s Concourse D Skytrain people mover system, which is scheduled for a nearly full return to service in March after it was shut down for safety repairs last September.

“In addition to having another record-breaking year in passenger and cargo growth, MIA has also received a historic investment of maintenance and capital improvement funding that will transform our airport for years to come,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “My administration is focused on making MIA future-ready and to provide our passengers with the world-class airport experience they deserve.”

Under Mayor Levine Cava’s leadership, last year Miami-Dade County’s Aviation Department put in motion a Modernization in Action (M.I.A.) Plan that identifies priority areas receiving critical investments and informs the public. Below is a detailed update on key projects and other important maintenance improvements.

Conveyances: The M.I.A. Plan to upgrade elevators, escalators, and moving walkways received a boost in December when the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) approved more than $99 million in contracts that will modernize 64 of the aged units. Combined with a $582 million contract the BCC approved last July, the Plan is now fully funded to replace or renovate conveyance units at MIA in need of an upgrade. Of all the 616 units at the airport, currently, there are 53 out of service for repair or modernization, which is only 9% of all units. Under the Plan, at least 30 conveyance units are scheduled to be upgraded or replaced annually over the next five to seven years.

Passenger Loading Bridges: The first step a passenger takes from an airplane to the airport is onto a passenger loading bridge. MIA is improving that first impression by replacing or refurbishing all of its 126 passenger loading bridges. Installation of the first 32 has already been completed, with 10 bridges scheduled for completion every year through 2028. All future loading bridges will be glass, which provides cooler temperatures than metal and an improved visual aesthetic.

Restrooms: Thanks to an investment of $101 million and a new design contract approved by the BCC in December, MIA’s 207 public restrooms are being renovated. A total of 33 bathrooms have already been modernized in concourses D, H, and J, and 32 more in MIA’s other concourses are on schedule for renovation in 2024. The remaining 141 bathrooms pre- and post-security on all three levels are scheduled for completion during the third and final phase of the airport’s restroom renovation program between 2025 and 2030.

Electrical Infrastructure: To increase sustainability, a contract with Florida Power & Light Services approved in December will bring to MIA $547 million in electrical infrastructure upgrades such as zero-emissions equipment and net-zero backup power generators. The airport is also moving forward with a $130-million project that will renovate the entire terminal roof and add solar-power-generating panels.

Skytrain: The Skytrain, built 25 years ago, was taken out of service on September 15, 2023, after a bi-annual regulatory inspection determined that cracks to three of the system’s 100 concrete pier caps near its Station 1 had gone from minor to substantial since the last inspection in 2021. In an overabundance of caution for public safety, the entire system was taken out of service for additional inspection. By the end of March, repairs to the area near Station 2 that begin this month will allow the system to safely return to service between Stations 2, 3, and 4 (gates D25 to D46), with only Station 1 (near D16) remaining out of service. Completion dates for repairs to the damaged area near Station 1 and the minor cracks in other areas are yet to be determined. The estimated cost of all repairs is $4.2 million. Until the Skytrain returns to service, a courtesy trolley service and airside shuttle bus are available. Passengers who require wheelchair assistance should first contact American Airlines in advance before their flight.

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To request materials in accessible format, Sign Language Interpreters, CART services and/or any accommodation to participate in any Miami-Dade Aviation Department (MDAD) public meetings and events please email the ADA Office at [email protected] or call the office in 305-876-7747 five days in advance to initiate your request. Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing may also call 711 (Florida Relay Service).