The city of Miami's Bicycle Action Committee is currently working on two maps, one that would be a kind of “user map” and the other a “future bike routes” map.
The first of the two, a map showing current bike facilities in the city, isn’t a bad idea, per se – but it does strike the Bike Blog as being a little like a treasure map showing where the booty isn’t.
But the second map, identifying high-priority bike routes within the city of Miami, is a potentially useful tool.
We’d like to throw out a few ideas:
1. Northeast Second Ave – a central, useful street that connects downtown, Wynwood, the Design District, and Little Haiti.
2. Coral Way – Close to mass transit, and providing a route in to the city from the Gables, Coral Way is the only straight, connecting east-west conduit that wouldn’t be living hell to bike (Calle Ocho? Please.)
3. No, wait – Calle Ocho! Actually, this street, already full of stuff to see and plenty of pedestrian traffic, would benefit greatly indeed from a bike lane There are plenty of bicyclists in Little Havana – give ‘em a lane!
4. Flagler – This street is a major conduit for bicycling blue-collar residents of Miami. Every day at 3:00 P.M., the street fills with men biking home from their construction jobs, braving the sidewalks. They deserve better.
5. 79th Street – The Kennedy Causeway desperately needs a bike lane – too bad it’s North Bay Village and not Miami. Still, Miami can sure as hell put a lane in along 79th street, right to the very edge of the city limits. The street has plenty of bike traffic already anyway, and that makes sense – it connects Miami Beach, Miami, Miami Shores, Hialeah, and the Tri-rail.
Now it’s your turn: included [here] is a pdf of the map the Bicycle Action Committee is currently using.
Take a look, and answer the question yourself: where would you like to see bike routes, bike lanes, bike boulevards, etc.?
Leave a comment with your ideas for “future bike routes.” We’ll make sure the right people see it.
If you want to make sure yourself, send an email to Environmental Outreach Liason Jennifer Grimm. If you do, be sure to copy your comment here, as well.
The city is 5 months away from a $2.5M city-wide rezoning plan. This bike action committee seems very out of touch and their noticeable absence from PAB and Commission meetings on Miami 21's plans, will assure this map stays an unfufilled dream.
Cyclists should know by now that: The plan calls for much wider Sidewalks, making streets much narrower. THen, often adding medium strips, making the streets narrowee still. So, where do they think there will be the room for these bike lanes on their fantasy map?
With Miami 21, bike lanes aren't required anywhere, in the plan and lanes are only "allowed", but actually will be outlawed on streets over 30 mph!
Miami 21 will guarantee a much less bike-friendly city and suggestions after it passes, for bike lanes will be mute, if their current proposal doesn't change.
The Mayor and weak Commissioners he controls, are pushing this developer-only plan, through. They say the only objections are from a few Grovites (although the AIA, architects, just came out against it). Time to attend the boring city meetings to speak out if you want changes.
Posted at: May 13, 2008 11:52 PM