On April 1st, the Miami Marlins and Florida Department of Transportation announced an exciting public-private partnership to prioritize bicycle transportation to the new Marlins Ballpark. Transit Miami received word that Marlins President David Samson and FDOT District 6 will team up to fund and construct a protected, 2 mile “cycle track” that will link Government Center in Downtown Miami with Marlins Park, set for completion by August 2012.
Artist rendering of the future cycle track on Flagler St.
As a solution to the anticipated parking and transit woes at the new stadium, the Marlins and FDOT mutually agreed that encouraging safe, active transportation is the most obvious and sensible option for area residents. Both Marlins and FDOT officials anticipate a surge in casual ridership on non-game days as well, as the facility will provide a designated route separated from motorized traffic along the two mile pathway, suitable for commuters and recreational cyclists alike.
Tens of thousands of potential fans live in the booming downtown area, two miles east of the new ballpark. The cycle track will give them a safe, enjoyable way of getting there.
When the cycle track is completed later this summer, the Marlins also announced that for weekend games, team mascot “Billy the Marlin” will lead a family-oriented group bicycle ride on the cycle track to the ballpark from the Government Center Metrorail station. Dubbed the “Playoff Peleton”, the escorted ride will provide fans with a chance to “Bike With Billy” for an entertaining and hassle-free way to the stadium.
Free bicycle valet service will also be available, an upgrade to the “wave” style racks currently installed inside the surrounding parking garages. The Marlins have donated one of the vacant retail spaces in the north parking garage to the newly formed Magic City Bicycle Collective until an official lease is signed. Inside, volunteers will provide free, secure bicycle parking as well as performing basic repairs and maintenance. With the free valet service, Marlins Park joins Wrigley Field in Chicago, AT&T Park in San Francisco, Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. and Minute Maid Park in Houston as another MLB stadium offering bicycle valets.
The free, attended bicycle valet at Marlins Park ahead of opening day.
The cycle track and bike valet are complements to the new stadium’s LEED Silver designation (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) “There is nothing less LEED-y than driving an automobile to the game. Bike with Billy instead!”, said the Marlins press release on the cycle track.
“Helping build this valuable community amenity just makes sense,” said a Marlins representative. “Heck, it only costs about 1% of Jose Reyes’s salary!”
Transit Miami applauds the Marlins and FDOT for their sensible gestures of good will in accommodating the surging numbers of casual cyclists in Miami seeking to use bicycles as a safe, healthy transportation option. The protected cycle track signifies the city of Miami is joining the ranks of modernity in providing bicycle riders with world-class infrastructure they have been pleading for. An FDOT representative also expressed delight that the agency is finally embracing non-motorized transportation options on a broad-scale across Miami-Dade County.
In other news, Transit Miami Films will be screening new features at both the Sundance and Cannes film festivals for 2012. (To be even more clear – this is an April Fools joke.)
17 Responses to Bicycle Greenway to Link Downtown Miami and Marlins Park
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[...] Bicycle Greenway to Link Downtown Miami and … – Transit Miami [...]
I ALMOST believed this, then I saw it was to be built on Flagler. You did get me. I was excited and pleased that this city, my city, was joining the 21st century. Then my phone poignantly reminded me of todays date.
Now I might just have to go ride through taffic and cause mayhem on the Mpath!
Just as I was thinking I’d have to be a little less resentful of the stadium… hahahaha
April fools.
You got me…
Its silly that the stadium doing something for cyclist is a joke.
Let’s hope it’s not an April’s Day joke
Wow… great news! This could be a start of a network of protected designated bicycle routes around downtown if successful. Hopefully Miami beach will follow by protecting bicyclist being that they have that aggressive bicycle renting program. They should start with the Macarthur Causeway just after the bridge btwn downtown and the beach. I’m terrified of biking btwn cars that are doing minimum 50mph just feet away.
Ugh, is this really an April Fool’s joke?
I actually rode to the stadium yesterday on bike.
Hey all, hate to break it to you but this was indeed an April Fool’s prank.
But it’s not so unrealistic if we make our voices heard. (At least in making the ballpark area more bike + per friendly) Hopefully this post showed you the potential. Other stadiums DO offer free bicycle valet. They DO have designated routes to the ballpark. We can do it too, just have to keep our voices loud!
Hey all, hate to break it to you but this was indeed an April Fool’s prank.
But it’s not so unrealistic if we make our voices heard. (At least in making the ballpark area more bike + ped friendly) Hopefully this post showed you the potential. Other stadiums DO offer free bicycle valet. They DO have designated routes to the ballpark. We can do it too, just have to keep our voices loud!
Hey all, hate to break it to you but this was indeed an April Fool’s prank.
But it’s not so unrealistic if we make our voices heard. (At least in making the ballpark area more bike + pedestrian friendly) Hopefully this post showed you the potential. Other stadiums DO offer free bicycle valet. They DO have designated routes to the ballpark. We can do it too, just have to keep our voices loud!
FDOT is putting bike lanes on Flagler Street from 2nd Ave to 24th Ave. They are supposed to do the same on SW 1st St going back to the City.
@R – I thought I had received a letter from FDOT about that project. It’s not a pipe dream after all!
Flager will include bike lanes in an upcoming FDOT project (but not a protected cycle track). So far, the FDOT is not approving bike lanes on SW 1st Street, so we really have to be loud on that one. E-mail the FDOT District 6 office and your local City and County commissioners.
Flagler will include bike lanes in an upcoming FDOT project (but not a protected cycle track). So far, the FDOT is not approving bike lanes on SW 1st Street, so we really have to be loud on that one. E-mail the FDOT District 6 office and your local City and County commissioners.
[...] to the Transit Miami website, the Marlin mascot, “Billy the Marlin” will make the event even more exciting by [...]
At this moment I am going away to do my breakfast, afterward having my breakfast coming again to read additional news.