Well folks, yours truly, is moving from Brickell to Belle Mead. I’ve just purchased a home with my wife and we should be moving into the neighborhood in a couple of weeks. So don’t be surprised to hear a lot more about issues affecting the Upper East Side on this blog.
I’ll start by saying this, “Biscayne Boulevard is a disaster”! There ain’t no two ways about it. The recent FDOT resurfacing project, for the most part, was designed solely to move cars faster. Pedestrians and cyclists were not given much consideration while designing this roadway. I consider myself an experienced cyclist, but even I will tell you to avoid riding your bike on Biscayne Boulevard. And if you are a pedestrian then forget about it, crosswalks are few and far in between and of poor quality. Biscayne Boulevard is extremely wide, making it difficult for anyone that is not in tip-top shape to cross the street.
Travel lanes are extremely wide, which encourages cars to speed. The speed limit is 35mph, but the design speed of the roadway is closer to 45-50mph. Needless to say, not pedestrian or cyclist friendly either.
That being said, we have a chance to ask FDOT to design a roadway at a more human scale.
FDOT is conducting a Pedestrian Mobility and Safety Study along Biscayne Boulevard at the request of area residents. The limits of the project extend from NE 77th Street to NE 87th Street.
Possible upgrade include the restriping of crosswalks for greater visibility, enhancing signals and adding traffic control devices to make it safer for pedestrians to cross the road.
A public information meeting is being held on Thursday, July 15, 2010 from 6-8 p.m at Legion Memorial Park, located at NE 7 Ave, Miami, FL for more information contact Gus Pego, District 6 Secretary”.
Hope to see you there!
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Do you think that the fact that the monthly Critical Mass rides frequently pass through Biscayne Boulevard might do anything to change that?
It’s a popular thoroughfare, they really should plan for it to be used by more than just drivers.
Construction on Biscayne Blvd will continue into the next year and construction on the alternative route, NE 2 Ave, is just beginning. Why don’t FDOT and the City of Miami’s Public Works would coordinate their construction schedules?
~dario
I live on NE 114th and NE 6th, just to give you little perspective on my local. Anyways. On both Biscayne and NE 2nd I almost always see people on the sidewalks or at the bus stations, but bikers have to dart on the side walk as well as the road, which on a 35-40mph road is no small task. Furthermore, NE 2nd can be down right dangerous at night, there is often very poor lighting on that road. On oct. 7th transit miami posted the Miami master bike plan that I believe was the mayor update (05-06-2009), it mentions “city project to include bike facilities” any clue as to what those facilities are? I am speaking for NE 2nd ave. between NE87th until like NE 20 TER. Bike lanes would be really nice.
July 20th is also the Biscayne Boulevard Streetscape Vision Public Presentation at the Community Center Auditorium at Legion Memorial Park.
The presentation will be given by Charles Bohl, director of the Graduate Program in Real Estate Development and Urbanism at UM. It starts at 6:30 pm tonight.