I had the opportunity recently to sit down an speak with Miami Beach Chief of Staff AC Weinstein, who on Mayor Bowers’ behalf, was kind enough to answer some critical questions for us on the future of Miami Beach. I’ll post the questions/Answers below and follow up with some commentary tomorrow:
TM: The greater Miami area is awash with development, cranes, and construction, a sign of prosperous economic times, without permitting overdevelopment in Miami Beach, what will you do to continue to ensure the economic vitality of one of our strongest engines?
AC: All the development in Miami Beach does not ensure economic vitality; rather the economic vitality will continue to be the proper balance of reasonable development and respect for our residential neighborhoods. Overdevelopment does not ensure economic vitality of Miami Beach.
Referendum questions in height variance above 3 feet must go to the voters.
TM: Recent studies conducted by various planning experts suggests that Miami Beach will be ready (from a congestion standpoint) for an effective public transportation system around 2011. What is your position on improving public transportation on Miami Beach, particularly concerning the Baylink proposal? If you are against the proposal, please share your concerns, reservations, and alternative plans you suggest.
AC: MPO committee member informed the subcommittee will not see baylink in our lifetime. The Mayor has always leaned against the baylink system, because residents want to remove overhead wires. The shuttle buses are more compatible with our historic city and are more reliable than streetcars. The city recently completed a Washington Avenue Streetscape and would not want to tear up the roadway to install tracks.
TM: The environment has become a hot topic both locally and across America. This issue is obviously a concern to Miami Beach due to the possibility of rising seas, extensive beach erosion, and loss of vital fish habitat. What plans do you have to push Miami Beach in a more ecologically friendly direction? (I am specifically referencing LEED certification, reduced vehicle demand, and water conservation.)
AC: The Mayors office has created a green committee to specifically research this issue and looks forward to the recommendations of this committee.
TM: Given the fact that approximately 50% of Miami Beach residents do not rely on a vehicle as a primary means of transportation, what improvements can you foresee evolving to make the city more hospitable to pedestrians and cyclists?
AC: The Mayor has established a Bikeway committee to address this question and with commission approval new bike lanes and greenways will be moving forward. Greenway could be possible along Indian Creek, however, we need ROW from property owners.
TM: How do you feel about a Bicycle sharing program similar to the Velib recently installed in Paris
AC: It is an interesting program that I think would work well with our city. New construction will be required to include bicycle racks.
That is great to see Miami Beach embracing cycling, bike lanes, greenways, even the bike sharing program.
It’s unfortunate that they aren’t embracing Baylink. As far as our transit system is concerned, it is one of the most important transit projects we need. Baylink is definitely in the top 5 transit projects this county needs.
Not compatible with their historic city?
Are they not aware that streetcars used to travel to and from Miami Beach regularly? I think Baylink even travels part of this route.
Unfortunately, the city of Miami Beach does not view bicycles as a viable transportation solution. So much so, that they have only added about 3 miles of bicycle lanes to city streets in the past 5 years. The fact that the city is flat, has a high population density, limited parking, heavy congestion and is centrally located so that distances traveled are short, make this city ideal for bicycling. But for some reason, the city does not believe that bicycles can actually help solve our transportation problem. They prefer to leave transportation to motor-vehicles. We need a visionary administration that understands that bicycles have a place in a larger and integrated transportation plan. The administration has been too slow to develop a long overdue bicycle infrastructure which should include bicycle lanes, public education, signs, secure and covered bicycle racks.
Great interview thanks. I’d like to see all of Miami Beach filled with bike lanes and street cars, but from this interview, it doesn’t look like Miami Beach is really focused on achieving that.
That’s fine, she and her stooge can ride shuttle buses to work. jackasses! Historic city? More like antiquated.
The original complaint against Baylink, was that they didn’t want undesirables coming from Miami. At least they changed their language. Now all we have to do is change their mindsets.
Fluff response from the city, no substance at all. Too bad they can’t grasp the HUGE benefits of Baylink. Someone needs to call their bluff on the ridiculous overhead wire claims and propose using LRT DMU’s running on biodiesel. What would their excuse be then?
If the Beach thinks “shuttle buses” are the answer to their impending congestion/mobility/access crisis, they’re gravely mistaken. The cycling and park improvements are nice - and important - but even these efforts are limited in scale. Best case scenario, it amounts to one step forward one step back, with a giant leap toward stagnation and mediocrity for what should be one the world’s finest urban centers.
By the way, soon I’ll be starting a series on the merits of Bay Link that will continue for a couple months.
Ryan- I look forward to reading your series on baylink. As a SoBe resident, i havent figured out why they dont just build a similar metro rail link to MB and end it on 5th & alton (before all the new devlopment) and then they could have a more extensive SoBe Local bus (I’ve used it, and i llike it).
Ryan or Gabriel, check out the bussiness Monday section of the herald, and article by Greg Fields.
What a joke… sounds like a rehash of all his old BS columns from the SunPost. The commenters above have it exactly right about the Baylink… it won’t be in our lifetimes because this is the second city administration in a row against it! Are we going to have to wait another 8 years before Miami Beach has a mayor who understands cities and transit?