If you know something about thoroughfare right of ways in Miami, you know that they are controlled by several different jurisdictions: State, County, City, and even Federal in the case of Interstate 95. While the City of Miami controls many of the local neighborhood streets, they essentially have no control over the the city’s major corridors. This my transit-minded friends, is a major problem, as such a thicket of bureaucracy tends to make the instigation of change a nightmare, especially when it comes to taking back the streets from the car cartel. Yet the City of Miami is finally starting to join us in the good fight and we need to help them, help us. The reconstruction of Coral Way is the most imminent opportunity.
If you would like to see bicycle lanes included on Coral Way, from Southwest 12th Avenue to Southwest 15th Road, please join Transit Miami by writing a quick letter of support by Friday, June 27th to Alexander Adams (aadams@miamigov.com) in the City of Miami Planning Department (You can even tell him, or us, where else you would like to see such facitlities). Bicycle lanes along this important corridor will be an important link in the City’s eventual bicycle network. Speak up and show FDOT that bicycling in Miami is being taken very seriously!
Of course I’ll send the letter, and I’ll take bike paths where I can get them, but we need something that actually goes west. When I originally heard bike path and Coral Way this is not what I expected. This potential bike path will run more or less parallel with the Miami Avenue bike path and the mpath. We are in desperate need of a main vein bike path that goes from downtown (or a bit further south) out west, preferably to FIU.
Thanks for the head’s up – my e-mail of support has been sent.
Sent
I’d love to see bike lanes to FIU as many if not most housing students have bikes and they’re on budgets. Where do FIU students go for fun? Downtown, Brickell, Coral Gables and Coconut Grove, all places out east. We need a major west-east bike lane. Maybe one down SW 8th St?
Maybe before everyone sends an email, they should find out how wide the right-of-way is and if the neighborhood’s top priorities for that right-of-way (maybe wider sidewalks for a better pedestrian experience) can also accommodate bike lanes. People look like idiots when they advocate for one thing without informing themselves of the whole picture or acknowledging other considerations.
Furthermore, lack of non-car facilities cannot be blamed on whether today a city or county controls a particular road. Blame must be shared among voters for not making alternative transportation an issue, politicians for not thinking for us, planners at all levels of local government for being unwilling to stick their necks out for good ideas, our parents for not caring about our future, congress for not immediately reversing generations of pro-car policies, and and did I mention fellow citizens for their apathy?
Seriously, this blog can be a blame-first-ask-questions-later screed, or it can be credible, but it can’t be both, unless you are comfortable that your target audience is other members of the choir.
I sent an e-mail also. I also advocated for bike lanes on 8th Street. We’ll see how that flies.
[...] Do You Want Bicycle Lanes Along Coral Way? [...]
Kordor,
I like to bike. I love to bike. I bike everywhere. And I would like more bike lanes.
I am going to tell that to any and all politicians.
My duty, as citizen, isn’t to present a comprehensive transportation plan that judiciously takes into account all viewpoints and contingencies.
No, my duty is to present my point-of-view, and my point-of-view will never make for a perfect plan. The balancing of such viewpoints and creation of good policy is for the politician.
So let me say I like to bike and I like bike lanes without being called an idiot.
I sent a letter..
“Dear Alexander Adams,
I would like to see bicycle lanes included on Coral Way, from Southwest 12th Avenue to Southwest 15th Road. Actually I would like to see bike lanes added anywhere possible. A cheaper alternative, signs throughout the city, “Share Road With Bikes… It’s The Law”. And while you’re at it, improve the M-Path in your district, shouldn’t be that difficult, just add some signs, a little bit of asphalt repair, etc. It would also be nice & affordable if a poster/sign was put up at every DMV location in Miami stating that bicycles are allowed on the road, definitely include an illustration for those who can’t read. Maybe a pamphlet given to those obtaining/renewing their drivers license. Anything to get the point across that bikes belong on the road. I’m tired of being threatened by aggressive drivers for riding a bicycle on the road. The higher gas prices get, the more bikes on the road. The more bikes on the road with ignorant drivers, the more problems this city will see. Alternative forms of transportation are the future, when gas goes up to $7 a gallon (2011) less and less people will be driving and we need to be prepared for better bike lanes, bus routes, metro-rail etc. I’ve been all across America, it’s safe to say this city has the worst public system of transportation. And even worse when it comes to bike lanes, I believe there’s only a handful of bike lanes in Miami. The one on S. Miami Avenue (parallel to Brickell) from SW 25 Street to Broadway (15th St) is a very short distance but well done. It has the proper signage, smooth pavement, etc. If you are not interested in any of this then forward it to somebody that is.”
Guys,
I would love to see the bike lanes expanded. However, I would like it’s been respected by drivers. Signals must be installed to let them reduce speed and to pay more attention, as in school regions…
Yesterday I decided to go to take a bike lane in Alhambra (Coral Gables). Unfurtunatelly a driver, with a big SUV and talking on the phone decided to not stop completelly on the stop sign. He almost smashed me… I could stop before it… The funny thing was that this guy stop by me and started to say “you should install a headlight!”…
Nice, but it happened in a sunny day, 15:30!!!
It makes me thing… Laws dont matter if you are dead.. So I decided to buy a power headlight – for security reasons…
Probably I will use it, together with my helmet, next time I go to the supermarket, walking…
Amazing…
Alexandre
Alexandre, I have one of these strobe lights (the yellow one, but there’s other colors) attached to my helmet when I ride, day or night. It’s basically sitting on top when I’m riding, so I think people can see it flashing from any direction. It’s pretty bright, and I highly recommend something like that.
Not that it did me a whole lot of good last week, but then half the time my rechargeable batteries are dead…
One has to cycle ultra-defensively down here. Unfortunately, the only way we can get drivers used to bicyclists is by getting more bicyclists on the road. I just hope there aren’t a lot of casualties in the meantime.
Palacios,
Thanks! I bought a taillight and a headlight for the bike. Both are flashing lights. The idea is to keep me visible all the time. Both are from Cat Eye and it seens to work well. However, I will avoid night time, since its more dangerous (drunk guys, people with no enough vision, etc). To ride at night I think the best way is to ride together with more bikers, to avoid any trouble.
Alexandre
maybe we need 10 lanes…just an hour ago I honk the horn to two cyclist in the middle of coral way/the roads (1:00am!!) so they get on their lane…they reach me at the traffic light…he gets violent and tears off the right side mirror of my car, could not believe the fagot, so gay, very angry asshole…if I was a black tall guy he would have not done this…I followed them…they fell off their bikes…hehehehehe!!! I reported to the police, and I have pictures of them…I will go forward if found!!