Aventura tells CITT city’s on‑demand freebie fleet is growing; pedestrian bridge project stalled by easement issue

City of Aventura officials briefed the Citizens' Independent Transportation Trust on the city’s local transit services and pedestrian bridge work related to a planned connection to a transit hub near Aventura Mall.

Aventura update: City Manager Brian Biggies and Public Works Director Jake Ozumen described a dense, vertical community of roughly 40,000 residents in 3.2 square miles, heavy visitor traffic tied to Aventura Mall, and city investments aimed at pedestrian connectivity. The city’s freebie on‑demand service — a city‑run, app‑based shared ride called “freebie” in the presentation — began as a 2‑vehicle pilot in May 2021 and expanded to 10 vehicles; city staff told the trust they plan to add three more freebie vehicles by December, giving Aventura what staff said would be the largest freebie fleet in Miami‑Dade per capita. For 2025 the city reported over 140,000 completed rides and average driver ratings of 4.9 out of 5; fixed‑route local service reported roughly 118,600 passenger trips in the latest year.

Crosswalks and parks: Biggies showed recent capital investments such as a new crosswalk linking Founders Park North and South and shaded canopy pickleball courts; staff said crosswalks and sidewalk connectivity are among the most frequent community requests.

Pedestrian bridge status: Trust members asked about the pedestrian bridge project connecting a future transit hub near Aventura Mall and a bus/transit station. Biggies said the city has set aside funds in escrow for the project (he described $2,000,000 in escrow plus an additional $2,000,000 promised as part of a prior agreement) and has removed obstacles the city controlled (signage, monument removal). DTPW and Aventura staff said the remaining issue is an easement dispute between FDOT and the railroad (FEC) on the county side of the alignment; the city said it is coordinating with FDOT, FEC and county staff to resolve land‑use and easement matters so construction can proceed.

Why it matters: Aventura staff framed the pedestrian bridge as a critical safety and connectivity improvement to enable transit riders to access the rail and bus hub near Aventura Mall and to encourage transit use, particularly with major events and seasonal visitor demand. The trust thanked city staff for the briefing and for the city’s partnership with county agencies.