7/28/2019 Transportation Wheels Move Forward MB Magazine Winter 2013

1/2MB magazine | Winter 201317

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Miami Beach continues to make great

strides when it comes to improving

its parking and transportation options

whether you use a vehicle, bicycle or

bus. The latest efforts are making it

easier to hit the beach, dine, shop and

have fun in the city by offering more

parking solutions and exploring other

ways to facilitate getting around.

City officials are looking at new ways

to improve mass transpor tation in, out

and around the island. This includes

preliminary discussions exploring

a wire-free overhead streetcar as a

possible solution that would provide

a connection between Miami Beach

and Miami to help improve circulation

within the island.

In early 2013, officials will also study

the possibi lity of linking the high

density residential and commercial

areas of North and Middle Beach

to South Beach, with a new bus

circulator similar to the South Beach

Local. A draft of the feasibility

study, funded by a grant from the

Miami-Dade Metropolitan Planning

Organization, has been completed.

City officials will be meeting with

Miami-Dade Transit to determine,

among other procurement options,

whether or not a partnership with the

county similar to the South Beach

Local circulator can be implemented.

The bicycle continues to be a popular

mode of transportation for many on

the beach. One in four South Beach

residents walks or cycles as their

primary mode of transportation.

Recent Census data lists Miami

Beach as one of the countrys top

ten ci ties for bik ing to work. The city

boasts approximately 150 bike racks

and an estimated 500 that will be

added by 2015.

This past November, the Deco Bike

rental program, launched in 2011,

celebrated its four millionth ride and

$1.6 million in total trips.

The Citys Atlantic Greenway Network

Master Plan brought a shared lane to

Washington Avenue. A new bike path

is currently being completed on Dade

Boulevard, and future bike lanes will

installed along Washington Court

and 22 Street, with connection to the

beachwalk.

I cant wait until this project [Dade

Boulevard project] is completed, it

will make me feel much better about

riding my bike, said Dania Diez, who

rides for fun, exercise, and to her job

from the Venetian Islands to Collins

Avenue, and does not own a vehicle.

The Dade Boulevard path will create

an east-west connection from the

Venetian Causeway to Convention

Center Drive.

Other wheels are also turning in Miami

Beach. Segways are fairly new to

Miami Beachs transportation scene.

Recently, Miami Beach adopted

regulations concerning the operation

of these two-wheeled devices in the

interest of safety.

The Citys Code prohibits Segways

from exceeding eight miles per hour

or operating in certain locations,

said Miami Beach Transportation

Manager Jose Gonzalez.

The Code prohibits the devices from

operating on the interior pathways

within Collins Park and South Pointe

Park, Lincoln Road Mall, and the

sidewalk on the west side of Ocean

Drive. The City Code also prohibits

Segway use on public facilities

including City Hall, historically-

designated City properties, police

and fire stations, and parking lots

and garages, except when used

by persons with disabilities. New

City Code provisions also establish

responsibilities for Segway users

and for businesses that rent, lease, or

provide tours.

The City is in the process of evaluating

additional regulations including those

relating to minimum age and weight,

Trnsrttin WhsMv Frwrd

IVETTE DIAZ

7/28/2019 Transportation Wheels Move Forward MB Magazine Winter 2013

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The City is in the process of evaluating additional

regulations including those relating to minimum age and

weight, operating hours, and equipment.

As vehicles are still the preferred method of getting around

for most people, many efforts are being made to improve

parking programs. In the last several years, Miami Beach

has added more than 1,500 additional parking spaces.

The latest addition is the new Sunset Harbour parking

garage with 460 parking spaces and retail on the ground

floor. Another public, state-of-the-art, 400-space parking

garage by world-renowned architect Zaha Hadid will

be breaking ground in the next year in the Collins Park

neighborhood.

It [Sunset Harbour Garage] is very convenient and you

can still find a lot of parking, plus the security is great,

said Leny Calle, who works at Sunset Clothing, which

relocated from Lincoln Road to the Sunset Harbour

neighborhood to join the new businesses opening up in

the area .

South of Fifth resident Albert Levy also uses the SunsetHarbour Garage. You can actually find parking outside

now, too, said Levy.

There are other new parking options on the horizon. The

City is installing 750 new parking stations by 2014 that

allow users to pay for parking with a pay-by-plate option.

The City has already installed 300 of these stations, which

also alerts technicians via text message when a station

needs repair.

There is also a new parking application for smart

phones coming soon. The new app will provide parking

information and availability at garages, said Miami Beach

Parking Director Saul Frances.

For residents and visitors who choose to drive electric

vehicles, there is a municipal car charging s tation at the 13

Street and Collins Avenue garage. The station is available

24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The new parking options also reduce the chances of people

parking illegally and getting towed. However, if you do get

towed, public towing fees for Miami Beach residents did

not increase when towing fees for non-residents did.

In general, Miami Beach is becoming a much better place

as far as more parking, and the plans for more public

transporta tion would be good, said Diez.

NeW SpaCeS460 new parking spaces,

Sunset Harbour Garage, 1900

Bay Road, between 18 & 20

Street, in the hip and trendy

Sunset Harbour $1.00 an hour.

FUTURe: 400 more spaces at

a new state-of-the-art garage

by world-renowned architect

Zaha Hadid, Collins Parkneighborhood.

paRK IT oR CHaRGe IT

2013: Pay-by-phone will be available. It will let you

subscribe and pay for parking by phone and ex tend your

parking session via text.

FUTURe: 750 new parking stations with new payment

methods will be installed and come with a pay-by-plate

option and a smart phone app.

Nw ctric vhic chrging sttin

Inside 13 Street and Collins Avenue Garage

Open 24/7 $0.49 per kWh (not including parking). www.

carcharging.com | 305.521.0200, extension 214

SeGWay ReGUlaTIoNS

Miami Beach City CodeSections 70-66 through 70-71miamibeachfl.gov

CyClING CITy

Miami Beach is one the countrys

top 10 cities for biking to work.