Archive for the ‘Transit Miami’ Category
Looks like City of Miami residents can expect a show-down between Elected City officials and the Miami Parking Authority at the ballot box in November. Control of the MPA is being contested between City of Miami Commissioners /Mayor who want a greater piece of the parking money pie, and the independant Board that exists to run the MPA. A semi-autonomous entity, the MPA is currently managed by a governing board that is not answerable to the City Commission.
Critics have correctly noted that the City’s lack of financial stability is concerning as the City seeks control over yet another government agency. Municipal officials can counter that other cities get greater profits from their parking authorities. Still others see this as a solution in search of a problem that does not exist. The MPA is solvent and sends the City yearly million dollar checks. Why change? All are valid points, but they miss the big connection between public parking management and transit.
A recent Herald article on the subject pointed to the Toronto Parking Authorityand their 2009 contribution to the city of over $50 million in revenue. What the article fails to mention is that Toronto has the third largest transit system in North America and respends the $50 million they get from parking on transit (many times over). After the slow and quite demise of the streetcar proposal, he City has been sleeping with regard to transit planning. If the City expects voters to side with them they are going to have to show that they understand the connection between parking supply and transit/mobility by using parking revenue to address the mobility needs of city residents.
The potential increased revenue from the MPA could be leveraged to bring premium transit expansion to the city. The long planned streetcar, the Brickell Metromover loop, and other local city projects must have local support and funding. As our downtown and surrounding suburbs densify and become ever more urban, City of Miami officials will not be able to look to the County to solve their mobility problems. The proposed MPA restructuring could be the beginning of an overhaul of how the City of Miami fulfills its mobility needs. City Commissioners should look to the example of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, which is the agency responsible for transit, bike infrastructure, and parking in San Francisco. Reflecting the close relationship between urban mobility and parking, this agency is a model for the City of Miami in deciding how to establish control of the MPA. How Commissioners choose to take advantage of this opportunity will determine whether voters see the wisdom in fixing something that is not broken.
Today, tell FDOT that you deserve safer streets where you live and do business.
Brickell Avenue, one of Florida’s premier residential and business streets, will soon be upgraded as a priority project of the Florida Department of Transportation. FDOT can make this street safer and they need to know that this is YOUR priority.
The South Florida Bike Coalition joins our neighbors on Brickell in asking for a speed limit that reflects the character and the reality of life in Downtown Miami. Sign your name today and we will deliver this letter to FDOT District Secretary Gus Pego on Monday, September 20, 2010. Leave your name in the comment section or email us (Subject- FDOT letter).
Dear Gus Pego,
As people who live, work and play in the Brickell Corridor of the City of Miami, we are passionate about this place and we would like you to consider how important the Avenue is as you consider its speed limit in the FDOT Redesign project, currently scheduled to break ground in 2011.
As you know, most residential and business streets in the State of Florida enjoy speed limits between 20-30mph. We are more than 29,000 people - families and professionals who live along Brickell – and we walk to Mary Brickell Village, Simpson Park, our waterfront and Downtown from our homes along streets with traffic moving well over a posted speed of 40mph.
I-95 serves those (including ourselves, when appropriate) who wish to get through our neighborhood quickly. The speed limit on Brickell Avenue should be no more than 25mph.
We hope you will agree that we deserve safer streets because you can make this happen. We deserve more crosswalks, a residential/business area speed limit and consistent law enforcement practices that make walking an inviting activity rather than an extreme sport.
Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to hearing how FDOT will help our community be a safer place to live, work and visit.
The South Florida Bike Coalition
TransitMiami.com Editorial Staff
___Your name here_________
For more information about this issue, please see the previous post.
Also note: this is a cross-post from the SouthFloridaBikeCoalition.org blog
Just the other day I was crossing Brickell Avenue and SE 8th St on my bike with a green crosswalk light when a large SUV pulled up within inches and honked his horn. I was startled of course, not only is the sight of a massive 4,000 pound hunk of metal a bit intimidating and a loud horn deafening, but I was looking at a green crosswalk light which indicated to me that the street was safe to cross.
I quickly turned around, and pointed at the crosswalk light, but the driver yelling at me through the car probably thought I was pointing at a bird. He thought he was in the right, and I was just in his way.
Unfortunately, this situation plays out over and over and over again, every day, of every week, throughout the entire year in Brickell. An explosion of residents has translated into more pedestrians on unsuitable city streets competing with South Florida drivers who are not accustomed to pedestrians.
While the condo boom saw tremendous pedestrian oriented development in the area, the streets have not changed to accommodate the tremendous influx of city dwellers and pedestrians in the last few years. With over 22,000 new condos and a handful of large new office buildings and hotels, Brickell Avenue is arguably Miami’s hottest urban center. Just the other day, the Miami Herald ran a story titled: ”Downtown Miami: The hot urban alternative to South Beach.”
If Brickell really hopes to attract the tourist dollars, it is important that Brickell Avenue get a face lift geared at making safer and more comfortable streets. Brickell Avenue is an important piece of this equation. On more than one occasion, I have seen tourists scrambling across Brickell Avenue – last year one was actually struck by a vehicle and killed. Brickell Avenue is uncomfortable and dangerous – an embarrassing combination for an aspiring “world class” neighborhood.
The truth is Brickell Avenue is ill suited to accommodate the rising numbers of pedestrians and tourists crossing the streets – and things are only going to get worse as the remaining condos are occupied, 1,000,000 sq ft of new office space are opened, and hundreds of new hotel rooms open their doors. Furthermore, when the economy does pick up, Brickell is likely to be one of the first places where construction will restart.
That is why I see the upcoming Brickell Avenue reconstruction by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) as a golden opportunity to transform Brickell into a friendly, pedestrian friendly, and safe urban street — as well as a tourist destination. An opportunity to continue the progress made by city officials, developers, and urbanites in the last few years. To transform Brickell into what it should be, a destination, not just a street used by cars to cut through the city.
With this in mind, for my first article as a contributing writer on Transit Miami, I leave you with a short video filmed yesterday at the intersection in front of my house on SE 10th St and Brickell Ave, one intersection south of where I was almost hit by the SUV. I went at around 1:20 pm and stayed for about 15 min.
One can quickly see some of the obvious problems facing Brickell Avenue within this short clip. Cars that do not respect pedestrians, a missing crosswalk, long wait times, no enforcement, and an increasing number of pedestrians competing for time and space against fast moving automobiles.
This video is just one example of the kinds of things that happen every day, up and down Brickell Avenue. You will not see any sensational accident or near collision, rather, you will see a consistent pressure on pedestrians by incoming vehicles as well as ill suited streets. At the very least, you will see why BrickellAvenue needs a highly visible and marked crosswalk on both sides of every intersection, something normal in any urban environment.
As a new addition to the Transit Miami team, over the coming days and weeks, I hope to show why Brickell Avenue in its current form is dangerous to pedestrians, and why its current use is counter intuitive to the long terms goals of the neighborhood, its residents, and area businesses. Together we can hopefully convince FDOT to do the right thing and ensure a more friendly, safe, enjoyable, and successful street suitable for the world renown Brickell neighborhood it represents.
With Brickell changing by the day, let us design a Brickell Avenue that looks into the future, not the past.
The below commentary was sent to us by a Transit Miami reader in response to today’s article in the Miami Herald.
As a transit advocate adding regional rail along the FEC corridor just makes common sense. We need all Transit Miami readers to show their support by attending one of the FDOT meetings this week in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade. Let’s go with one voice that tri-rail should be expanded and run along the eastern FEC line in addition to the current western CSX line. Tri-rail already has the experience, staff, trains, repair personnel, etc and adding additional options for travelers will help everyone. Having one type of train system allows one operator, less total investment, flexibility, and regional rail ties into the state system for high speed rail. Don’t let Orlando and Tampa steal all of the Florida rail money. Approving regional rail will help SE Florida’s bid to receive federal money for high speed rail.”
The following letter was written by Sam Van Leer in response to the Miami Herald story, “Bike-trail project a lot tougher than expected,” Miami Herald, Sept. 12, 2010.
The Virginia Key Master Plan approved by the City of Miami in July 2010 is based largely on the Consensus reached at the Virginia Key Coalition’s Charrette of September 2009. On Northpoint it protects the unique Nature Preserves and re-creates lost habitats inland, creating new opportunities for recreation within conservation. The very modest monetary investments are wise considering the stench that sometimes comes from the Sewage Treatment facility next door, and seasonal Mosquito and No-See-Um conditions.
A Public Beach is shared by people during the day, and nesting sea turtles at night. Multi-use paths may be enjoyed by all. North Ridge is planted with native vegetation selected to preserve the stunning views of the Bill Sadowski Wildlife Area, Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserve and the City of Miami beyond. A large area is reserved for Mountain Biking. Picnic areas are along the Beach and the North Ridge. Walking paths allow people to explore the different Native Habitats found in coastal and inland areas. The campground is on high ground, with exposure to cooling and bug-abating breezes. Services are near the already-developed Sewage Treatment area.
Buffers between major human uses are absolutely essential to provide visitors with more personal experiences. Quiet nature hikers and wildlife won’t be startled by fast bikers. Campers can enjoy peace without intrusion. Mountain bikers can ride challenging paths free of walking explorers. Mountain Bikers were well represented at the Charrette’s Northpoint planning sessions, and were part of the consensus. The City Planning Department assures me that 30 yard buffers will be in all final plans.
Oleta River State Park is frequently mentioned as an example of great mountain bike trails, and it is true that they are fun to ride. What is less understood is that bikers built trails under Australian Pines, and expect that the big trees that shade their riding will be preserved. These Destructive Exotic trees actually kill Native Habitats, and the wildlife that depend on them. In addition, Oleta trails often wind so tightly that there is very little room for Native Habitat. The land use is so intense that it is a form of development, and is not an example to follow for Virginia Key. Fortunately, there are environmentally sensitive layouts that allow for shared use between bikers and nature.
The 2009 Charrette Plan should be followed, and Northpoint should never be used as a dumping ground again. How many public meetings must we attend to defend it? Listen to the will of the public, and please get on with it!
A special thanks to the Adrianne Arsht Center for organizing the first annual Fall for the Arts festival. After today’s success this event will now become a yearly occurrence meant to kick-off the the season for Miami’s burgeoning arts scene. Downtown Miami came alive today as thousands of people of all ages and backgrounds showed up for this free concert. Ozomatli rocked the Magic City and several other bands had everyone dancing and in good spirits. Events like this are great for our city and really bring our diverse community together. Over 100 community groups and cultural organizations participated to make this event an overwhelming success.
We would also like to thank the Green Mobility Network for providing a much needed free bicycle valet service. It was very much appreciated.
Perhaps next year we could coordinate this event with Bike Miami Days? Just throwing it out there…
Foreign Policy sat down with sociologist Saskia Sassen and she said had this to say about the Magic City:
Many of today’s global cities are old-world cities that reinvented themselves. Like London or Istanbul, they already had enormous complexity and diversity. On the other hand, there are old-world cities, like Venice, that are definitely not global cities today.
And then there’s Miami. Never an old-world city, today Miami is certainly a global city — why? It’s quite surprising. Where did its diversity and complexity come from? Let’s go back to the history. Before the 1990s, Miami was sort of a dreadful little spot, frankly.
There was lots of domestic tourism; it was cheap; it was rundown; it was seen as dominated by the Cubans. But several important things happened. One was the infrastructure of international trade that the Cubans in Miami developed. There was also real estate development, often spurred by wealthy individuals from South America.
All this coincided with the opening of Latin America. In the 1990s and early 2000s, firms from all over the world — the Taiwanese, Italians, Korean, French, all over — set up regional headquarters in Miami. In the 1990s, there was also deregulation, so Miami becomes the banking center for Central America. Then the art circuit, the designers’ circuit, and other things began to come into the city. Large international corporations began to locate branches there, forging a strong bridge with Europe that doesn’t run through New York. That mix of cultures — in such a concentrated space, and covering so many different sectors — created remarkable diversity and complexity. Of course, the Miami case is rather exceptional.”
Chalk one up for Miami! This is great news, but we still have our work cut out for ourselves if we truly want to become a competitive global player. We need to seriously think about investing in a proper public transit system if we aspire to be a Global City.
You can read the entire interview with Saskia Sassen here.
Transit Miami friend and environmental activist Sam Van Lear is celebrating the second successful year of the Urban Paradise Guild. If you are not already familiar with the UPG, it is a great organization that Sam founded to work toward the restoration of native ecosystems throughout South Florida. Please check out the celebration at Oleta Park this weekend. Look below for more details.
Where: Oleta River State Park: 3400 N.E. 163rd Street, North Miami, Florida 33160
Why: This Volunteer-Powered organization has removed over 100,000 Destructive / Invasive Exotic
plants and trees using Organic Stewardship (no herbicide) methods developed by the group. UPG
has also planted mangroves, Hammock trees, and native groundcover by the thousands. In 2010
UPG has expanded, with the Location Adoption of Matheson Hammock (Miami-Dade County Parks)
and new UPG Chapters at El Portal, Hialeah, Vizcaya, and Liberty City. UPG Nurseries at Oleta and
Vizcaya are producing native plants, with the Liberty City Nursery coming on line soon. Partners
make so much possible. Activities take place almost every weekend, ensuring steady progress
toward UPG’s goal of “Creating Sustainable Paradise in South Florida, one Habitat at a time.”
Who: We extend a special invitation to UPG Volunteers, Interns and Staff, plus Partners including
Florida DEP, Miami-Dade Parks, DERM & Vizcaya, MWC, and of course Miami Dade College and
other schools, students, faculty & staff (Kindergarten – Grad School). The public is welcome. Bring
your Families.
What: Birthday Activities include…
• Demonstration Planting on Oleta’s South Point (site of 1,000’s of UPG Stewardship hours).
• Picnic / BBQ, with separate grills for meat, veggies and seafood. Bring family-favorite food!
• Live Music by UPG Members and Friends (bring and instrument & play!)
• Kayaking & Canoeing on the Bay.
• Volleyball by the Beach. Bring Football, Futbol, Frisbee, and whatever you need.
• Swimming and Snorkeling.
• Weeds to Wonders activity: Building a Burma Boat (Kayak made from Exotic Burma Reed).
Cost: Admission is FREE for Planting Volunteers before 10am. $6 per car after 10am.
RSVP:http://new.evite.com/utm_source=other_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=text&utm_c
ampaign=host_conf#view_invite:eid=0344AAQZXGL24EIESEO7WUIZSAOPSAIf you encounter problems with Evite, send an e-mail to sam@urban-paradise.org and you will be added.
Email Michelle London: thebohemianchef@aol.com with what you are brining for the Picnic/BBQ.
Please bring a family favorite food, or beverages (no alcohol), cups, plates, etc.
| September 15, 2010 | ||
| 7:00 pm | to | 10:00 pm |
There has been a bit of miscommunication and FDOT will not be present at the Brickell Homeowners Association meeting next week. My sincerest apologies for the misunderstanding.
Regardless, anyone that lives, works, or plays around the Brickell area is welcome to join our lively discussion regarding the upcoming Brickell Avenue resurfacing project that will begin early next year. Please join the Brickell Homeowners Association and Transit Miami on Wednesday September 15 @ 7:00pm at the Metropolitan Condominium located at 2475 Brickell Avenue. We need everyone’s support in order to convince FDOT to do the right thing. We look forward to seeing you there.
