The Miami Herald is reporting that FDOT has begun a resurfacing project on Bird Road. According to the article:
Workers will repave and restripe the road; widen the bridge and road shoulder; build a new sidewalk on the north side of Bird Road as well as upgrade sidewalks and curb ramps.
Crews will also make drainage improvements to alleviate water buildup in the swale area. Landscaping will improved. Lighting will be improved and new traffic and pedestrian signs and signals installed.
A pedestrian bridge will be built. Workers will remove existing guardrail and installing new guardrail at various locations.
There is no mention of new bicycle facilities. I have contacted Transit Miami sources within the City of Miami and the County and they are unaware of any bicycle infrastructure improvements. The $2.5 million improvement project on Bird Road will occur between Red Road and Southwest 38th Avenue. Coral Gables High School happens to be on this stretch of roadway. Connecting a high school with bicycling infrastructure would be the smart thing to do; it encourages students to bike to school. Also, there is a bridge that crosses a canal on this stretch of roadway. Bridges are often the most dangerous areas for cyclists; they must converge on bridges to cross any body of water. I’m glad to see a pedestrian bridge will be incorporated in the design plans, but the transition should also be seamless for cyclists too.
For the record, FDOT has recently completed 2 resurfacing projects which are second-rate (MacArthur Causeway, Coral Way). FDOT seems very hesitant to accommodate cyclists on Sunset Drive and now it appears that cyclists were not considered in the Bird Road project at all. This is not a pretty track record. Please contact Transit Miami ally Coral Gables Commissioner Ralph Cabrera and FDOT District 6 Secretary Gus Pego and ask them why provisions for bicyclists were not made to this very important route.
The Transit Miami eye is watching every FDOT project closely.
One Response to FDOT Bird Road Resurfacing Project Does Not Include Bike Lanes or Sharrows
Leave a Reply
Contact Us!
Planetizen- In America's Cities, the Better-Off Trade Retail for Restaurants May 19, 2013The replacement of retail establishments with restaurants in America’s urban centers has a demographic slant. […]
- Alley Rally Aims to Examine the City's Forgotten Spaces May 19, 2013In popular culture alleyways are often depicted as the setting for illicit acts. But seen in a different light, alleys are key contributors to urban life. SPUR kicks off a week of alley exploration with an essay on their benefits. […]
- Rural-Urban Partnerships May Be the Key to Water Conservation May 19, 2013Most of us who live in major metropolitan areas know that urban water supplies are dwindling. The question is: what can we do about it? […]
- Living with Frank Lloyd Wright May 19, 201320 homes designed by the renowned architect are looking for a discerning owner. But buyer beware, says Joann S. Lublin, 'owning an architectural treasure can come with significant headaches.' […]
- Don't Close Shop Just Yet, Gen Y Still Likes Shopping in Stores May 19, 2013The rise of online shopping has been seen by some as presaging the demise of the physical store. However, a new report based on national survey results shows that Generation Y isn't ready to give up shopping on foot. […]
- Frightful City Ranking of the Week: Most Dog Attacks May 18, 2013Who else but the U.S. Postal Service would be able to rank America's worst cities for dog attacks? Just in time for National Dog Bite Prevention Week, the USPS has released the "Fiscal Year 2012 U.S. Postal Service Dog Attack City Ranking." […]
- The Emancipation of Planning Education May 18, 2013Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are an emerging trend in higher education. And for the first time a course dedicated to urban planning made its debut this month. Could this trend transform planning education? […]
- Tidal Wave Energy: Is it Ecologically Sustainable? May 18, 2013Balancing renewable energy production and ecological preservation is a difficult business for governments who have ample resources, but also pristine environments that would be negatively impacted. […]
- PATH to Ruin: New York Builds the World's Costliest Train Station May 18, 2013Stephen Jacob Smith examines how high emotions, grand designs, poor negotiating, and "extreme politicization" drove the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to build the world's most expensive train station in Lower Manhattan. […]
- Energy Secretary Confirmed; EPA Pick Advances May 18, 2013On May 16, President Obama's pick to head the EPA, Gina McCarthy, was approved on a 10-8 party-line vote by a Senate Committee and advances to the full Senate. His pick to head the Dept. of Energy, Ernest Moniz, was approved by the Senate by 97-0. […]
- In America's Cities, the Better-Off Trade Retail for Restaurants May 19, 2013
- Green Mobility Network
- An error has occurred, which probably means the feed is down. Try again later.
I recall that the during presentation of this project to the City Commission (including Mr. Cabrera) the issue of a bike lane(s) was not raised. I wonder, with residences so close to the street, whether bike lanes even fit–there is just enough space for the sidewalk, as I observe it. Furthermore, it is my understanding that the renovation will not be for all of Bird Road. I might comment that a bicyclist might have to be a little crazy to ride along Bird Road given the intensity of the traffic, but I certainly favor bike lanes.