By Coral Gables Gazette staff

A new east-west trolley line is set to begin rolling through Coral Gables next month, as the city’s long-planned Southern Loop route officially launches on November 3—nearly a month later than originally scheduled.

Despite its directional name, the Southern Loop will run primarily east to west along Ponce de Leon Boulevard, serving as a connector between the Douglas Road Metrorail Station (SW 37th Avenue) and Red Road (SW 57th Avenue). The loop will operate as a pilot program and marks the city’s third active trolley route, following the main north-south Ponce route (launched in 2003) and the Grand Avenue line that crosses U.S. 1 into the McFarlane Homestead District.

13 stops, 30–40 minutes end-to-end

The new route includes 13 total stops—many of them co-located with Miami-Dade Metrobus stops—stretching across roughly 20 blocks. The westbound leg (from Douglas Station to Red Road) will stop at:

• Douglas Stationn
• Coral Gables Passport Office (4520 Ponce-north side)
• Medical Offices (near 4689 Ponce-north side)
• West Lab Elementary School (Corner of Carillo St and Ponce-north side)
• UM Main Entrance (Stanford and Ponce)
• University of Miami Metrorail Station (Near 5345 Ponce – north side)
• Lennar Foundation Medical Center (Dickinson Drive and Ponce)
• San Amaro Drive/Alex Rodriguez Park (UM baseball stadium)
• Red Road/57th Avenue (near 6821 Ponce)

The eastbound return toward Douglas Station includes stops at:

• UM Metrorail Station (Near 5336 Ponce- south side)
• Underline stop (adjacent to the multi-use path)
• Medical Offices (near 4689 Ponce – south side)
• Coral Gables Passport Office (4520 Ponce-south side)
• Douglas Station

According to Matt Anderson, the city’s assistant director of Mobility and Sustainability, the loop will take between 30 and 40 minutes for a full round trip, based on test runs conducted in September.

Ridership targets and funding breakdown

At the September 30 meeting of the Coral Gables Transportation Advisory Board, Anderson estimated the route would initially serve 3,500 passengers per month. That number is projected to grow to approximately 150 riders per day within the first year, totaling more than 50,000 annual rides.

The startup costs for the new route are being split between state and city funds. A $196,000 state grant will cover part of the expenses, while the City of Coral Gables has committed $204,000 for the first year of operations.

“This route connects important community assets—from the Metrorail and Passport Office to UM’s health campus and athletic facilities,” Anderson said. “We want to ensure that transportation options for residents are interconnected with other stakeholders.”

Integration with regional transit and the TMA

The Southern Loop is also expected to serve as a key component in the formation of a new Transportation Management Association (TMA)—a cooperative effort between Coral Gables, the City of South Miami, and the University of Miami. The TMA (sometimes referred to as a TMO, or transportation management organization) would coordinate transportation strategies across jurisdictional lines, particularly in areas straddling U.S. 1.

Anderson noted that the new loop will, for the first time, provide continuous city-run trolley service from southwest Coral Gables to downtown South Miami, potentially easing local congestion and offering new mobility options for residents, students, and commuters.

Launch preparations and marketing push

Installation of new trolley stop signage is expected to begin one week prior to launch, and the city will coordinate with UM on a public awareness campaign to highlight the new route. Marketing materials will target students, patients, and daily commuters, particularly those unfamiliar with the free trolley service.

The launch also comes as the city aims to recover overall ridership on its trolley system. Anderson reported that trolley usage fell by about 10 percent over the past year, citing factors such as the return of Metrobus Route 42, weather disruptions, and volatile gas prices.

Nonetheless, he expressed optimism that the Southern Loop could help the city surpass one million total trolley rides in the coming year. That threshold was not met in the most recent annual count.

Meanwhile, Coral Gables’ other free circulator, the electric Freebee shuttle, is on pace to set a new benchmark. Anderson projected more than 75,000 Freebee rides in 2025, which would be the highest usage since 2019.