A Real American Streetcar

Published
by
Mike Lydon
on July 2, 2009
in Streetcar and Transit
. 8 Comments

The blogs are aflutter with Ray LaHood’s visit to Portland, Oregon yesterday. Among other things, he was stopping in to help celebrate the completion of an American made streetcar. The car made by the Oregon Iron Works is the first to be produced in this country in the last sixty years. We can all hope this points to a burgeoning industry.

Oh, and the car will be used for the city’s new streetcar line, which received $75 million dollars in stimulus funds so that it may come to fruition. At least some cities are spending wisely…

lahood-streetcar

photo by mexiwi

Long Beach, CA Creates World-Class ‘Sharrow’

Published
by
Mike Lydon
on June 30, 2009
in Bicycles and Sharrows
. 2 Comments

For more on this story, check out the post from StreetsblogLA.

Why ‘Holding the Line’ is Just the First Step

Published
by
Tony Garcia
on June 29, 2009
in UDB
. 4 Comments

I had to post the complete text of this great editorial by DDA Urban Planning Manager Javier Betancourt:

Last month’s court ruling halting the planned development of a Lowes superstore outside Miami-Dade County’s Urban Development Boundary was an important victory in the ongoing battle against westward sprawl in our community. But the more pressing issue going forward is whether residential development outside the boundary should proceed.

The answer to this question is a resounding “No.”

Now that new commercial development on the fringe of the Everglades has been rejected, urban planners along with developers and business and civic leaders should turn their attention to the chief challenge facing Miami-Dade: how to create a sustainable community without expanding our geographic footprint.

By focusing our collective efforts on revitalizing and expanding existing communities through infill development, we will make better use of our land supply, reduce congestion and preserve our region’s valuable natural resources. At the same time, we will realize a number of economic and urban planning benefits, including better connectivity between businesses and the labor force, more efficient use of our existing infrastructure and across-the-board increases in property values.

Miami was planned and developed after the advent of the automobile, so sprawl became a way of life in South Florida. Only now we are witnessing a reversal of this trend, as residents and businesses inject new life into urban centers that were long overlooked.

Some of the most desirable neighborhoods in Miami-Dade County — Downtown Miami, Coral Gables, South Miami, Miami Lakes and Downtown Dadeland, to name a few — have been home to condensed growth that combines residential, commercial and retail development. Each of these communities offers opportunities for continued investment, and each is taking shape within the confines of the UDB.

Nowhere have the benefits of infill development been more evident than in Downtown Miami, home to our state’s largest employment center, an existing public transit system and commercial base, and a population that has grown by more than 50 percent since 2000.

The mixed-use development that has taken shape in our urban core has accelerated Downtown Miami’s evolution as a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly district. New businesses are opening, people are moving in, cultural and entertainment institutions are thriving, and street activity is picking up after hours. These trends speak to a growing demand for the convenience and lifestyle offered by urban communities and to a dramatic shift away from sprawl.

The court’s decision in May supported the need for sustainable growth. Now the business and civic communities need to act by advocating against expanding the UDB and evaluating how to maximize our investments in the emerging urban centers within the boundary.

PS. This was posted in the business section.

Complexity Visualized

Published
by
Mike Lydon
on June 29, 2009
in Bicycles, Miami, Safety and bike lanes
. 4 Comments

The Rickenbacker is the heart of South Florida’s recreational bicycle scene.  Indeed, a recent Saturday morning count found 950 bicyclists entering the Causeway from the hours of 6:30am - 9:00am.

And while recent bicycle lane improvements have done much to improve safety along the Causeway, it’s entrance/exit at the Miami Avenue-Brickell-Avenue-South Dixie Highway-Southeast 26th Road intersections remain perilous for almost all users.  The diagram that I made below reveals just how complex the environment is for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motor vehicle drivers. If you know the area’s traffic patterns, many of the necessary maneuvers forced upon bicylists and pedestrians, or taken by choice, are illegal and unsafe.

We now know the County is looking to improve traffic flow so that there is less automobile congestion. Yet, any “improvements” in motor vehicle flow will have to be met with a commensurate improvement in pedestrian and bicycle safety. Otherwise, it will be one step forward, and two steps back.

rickenbacker

Bicyclists Beware: Rickenbacker/Bird Road Proposals Threaten Safety

Published
by
Mike Lydon
on June 27, 2009
in Bicycles
. 1 Comment

I just sat down to give you all an update from this month’s MPO Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee meeting, however John Hopkins over at Spokes n’ Folks has done a marvelous job summarizing the most controversial aspects of the meeting. Please visit his blog to find out two proposals, one for the Rickenbacker Causeway (with two options), and one for the intersection of Bird Road and S. Dixie Highway.

Ideology vs. Education

Published
by
Mike Lydon
on June 27, 2009
in Transportation and Washington D.C.
. 3 Comments

Supporting good transportation policy is not about ideology, but education. In an interview with Blueprint America, ranking Republican John Mica of Florida has this to say:

“If you’re on the Transportation Committee long enough, even if you’re a fiscal conservative, which I consider myself to be, you quickly see the benefits of transportation investment. Simply, I became a mass transit fan because it’s so much more cost effective than building a highway. Also, it’s good for energy, it’s good for the environment – and that’s why I like it.”

In response, David Alpert of Greater, Greater Washington suggests we cycle more fiscal conservatives through the Committee so that they learn the myriad benefits to be derived from investing in public transportation.

Hold The Line!

Published
by
Mike Lydon
on June 26, 2009
in Miami, UDB and Urban Development Boundary
. 7 Comments

Miami transit/livable city advocates may be interested in attending The Miami-Dade Urban Environment League’s  “Hold the Line” (as in Urban Growth Boundary line) picnic Sunday at Crandon Park.

image001142383

Bicycle Use Surpasses Car Use In Amsterdam

Published
by
Mike Lydon
on June 24, 2009
in Amsterdam and Bicycles
. 12 Comments

An article in The Oregonian reveals that from 2005-2007, Amsterdam residents used their bicycles on average of .87 times per day, versus .84 for motor vehicles.  The article states that this is the first time bicycle use has exceeded automobile use in the city. The above video shows what this looks like, check out the bicycle traffic jam! Don’t be fooled, however, Amsterdam’s bike culture isn’t a new phenomenon, but rather the product of careful planning taking place over the course of many decades.

News Roundup

Published
by
Tony Garcia
on June 23, 2009
in Atlantic Railyards, FEC Corridor, High Speed Rail, MTA and Uncategorized
. 1 Comment

Support Livable Streets: Call your Representative!

Published
by
Tony Garcia
on June 23, 2009
in Surface Transportation Authorization Act of 2009, Transportation for America and Uncategorized
. 0 Comments

The House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, led by Representative James Oberstar (D-Minn), released their long anticipated draft of the Surface Transportation Authorization Act of 2009 yesterday, and it is a far cry from the 18-month patch suggested by the Obama Administration last week.

Included in the bill is $469 million for transportation funding over six years. The highway/transit split is still biased in favor of highways, but the bill seeks to streamline the New Starts application process and provides almost double the amount of funding provided in the last transportation bill. Unfortunately, the bill still lacks the funding framework and rules that take into account greenhouse gas emissions and walkablity. Only in this way can we be sure that federal tax dollars go to transportation alternatives, rather than more road and highway projects.

Together with Transportation for America, we are urging readers to participate in a National Call-In Day, Wednesday June 24, to ask House representatives to address funding rules, and not put off a vote on the bill. This from Transportation for America:

The bill has a lot of what Transportation for America supporters have been pushing for, but without any accountability to measure its success or failure, it still falls short.

Without over-arching goals and targets – such as lower energy consumption, greater affordability, and expanded access – there’s no way to be sure billions of dollars in transportation spending will truly deliver clean, safe and smart transportation. That’s why your call today, as members of Congress are marking up the bill, is so important.

Please call your representative and urge them to co-sponser the National Transportation Objectives Act of 2009 (H.R. 2724). Let them know that you want to make sure the billions spent on transportation help us cut down on emissions, give us real energy security, and provide you with more affordable options for getting from A to B.

To find out who your representative is please go to here.

Congressional switchboard number: 202-224-3121

Diaz-Balart, Lincoln, Florida, 21st
Diaz-Balart, Mario, Florida, 25th
Hastings, Alcee L., Florida, 23rd
Klein, Ron , Florida, 22nd
Kosmas, Suzanne M., Florida, 24th
Meek, Kendrick, Florida, 17th
Ros-Lehtinen, Ileana, Florida, 18th
Wasserman Schultz, Debbie, Florida, 20th
Wexler, Robert, Florida, 19th

Crossing The Street Not Easy In Miami Springs

Published
by
Mike Lydon
on June 23, 2009
in Walkability and Walking
. 12 Comments

Retired police office Glenn Rice attempts to cross the street in downtown Miami Springs. Despite the pedestrian island, flashing lights, and signage and oh, the state law, Mr. Rice gets no love.

SUV Driver Injures Triathlon Cyclist

Published
by
JM Palacios
on June 22, 2009
in Cycling and Uncategorized
. 4 Comments

An SUV driver dramatically interrupted the Mack Cycle Key Biscayne Triathlon Trilogy on Sunday. The Rickenbacker Causeway was supposed to be closed for the race, but the driver of the SUV inched out in the way the pack of racers who were riding about 40 mph. Miguel Tellez, the leader of the pack and one of the area’s best triathletes, struck the SUV and went flying over it. Luckily for Tellez, he survived with a cut on his knee, a gash in his head, and a concussion. Check out the Sun-Sentinel article and photos of the race, plus get a little more detail on the location of the crash at Spokes ‘n’ Folks. A participant in the race also offered a more firsthand perspective at BeginnerTriathlete.com.

This isn’t your usual issue of a one-on-one collision where the standard rules of the road apply. The road was supposed to be closed for the race, yet somehow a car managed to sneak in. We always like to blame the driver, and maybe it was their fault. But where was the police officer whose job it was to keep vehicles off the course?

This reminds me of the incident at a bicycle race last June in Matamoros, Mexico. A photo of that incident at Sports Crackle Pop! shows a cop conveniently pulled out of the way of a drugged motorist who slammed into a pack of cyclists. While I’m grateful that this past Sunday’s incident didn’t kill anyone, I think it shows that Miami’s cops are as good at managing road closures for races as are Mexico’s finest. (EDITORS NOTE: the road closure was handled by the Miami-Dade County Police  and not the City of Miami Police Department.)

And while we’re at it, let me point out a difference between cycle racing and auto racing. Has anyone ever heard of a race car in an event like the 24 Hours of LeMans running into a car that had strayed onto the course in the middle of the race? Yet here you see two examples for a cycle race. Perhaps race organizers and  officials need to rethink how they close roads for events like these.

Sarnoff Ushers In Car-Free Commodore Plaza

Published
by
Mike Lydon
on June 22, 2009
in Cars, Coconut Grove, Livable Neighborhoods, Miami and livable cities
. 0 Comments

Hats off to Commissioner Marc Sarnoff for working with Coconut Grove residents, business leaders, and advocates for pushing the livable streets agenda forward. Starting on July 4th, Commodore Plaza will be closed to cars and opened to pedestrians, cafes seating, and live music. Each closure will take place for five consecutive weekend from Saturday at 6pm to early Sunday morning. This pilot project will help determine whether or not closing Commodore more permanently is feasible. Please contact Commissioner Sarnoff  (My Commissioner tab above for more info) to let him know that you appreciate the effort.  More importantly, go out and experience the urbanism!

dscn7042

A street mural being chalked on Commodore Plaza during the early hours of Bike Miami Days.

Florida’s Traffic Map, 2005-2007

Published
by
Mike Lydon
on June 22, 2009
in Biscayne Boulevard, Miami and Traffic
. 0 Comments

Using data collected from 2005-2007,  Floridaroads.org is a new website that visually displays whether traffic congestion is increasing or diminishing along major thoroughfares. Click the hyperlink to see how a street near you is performing. For livable streets advocates, those roadways experiencing a decrease in congestion may be candidates for future “road diets.” Similarly, the data could be used to fight expansions along roadways that are not experiencing significant increases in congestion. One good example: Miami’s Lower Biscayne Boulevard, like other streets in downtown, have seen a significant decrease in traffic (14%). This may be attributed to construction, higher gas prices, transit behavior changes, and likely, the slow influx of new residents who no longer have to drive to their place of employment.

SFECC Overtown Workshop: Tomorrow!

Published
by
Mike Lydon
on June 19, 2009
in FEC, South Florida, Train and Transit
. 1 Comment

Apologies for the late notice, but the following information was just sent to me.

There will be  a South Florida East Coast Corridor study workshop tomorrow in Overtown at the Culmer Neighborhood Center (1600 NW 3rd Avenue). The workshop will take place from 9:30am-1:00 and be held in the multi-purpose room. This is one of many meetings to discuss the potential for transit along the FEC, with workshops happening at each potential station stop–Overtown obviously being one of them.