Posts filed under 'Transportation'
Image: Section of Biscayne Boulevard in the Upper East Side undergoing an extensive reconstruction.
Biscayne Boulevard is undergoing extensive work along the CBD, but the area north of the I-395 up to 36th street, represents a separate phase of Biscayne Boulevard’s enhancement, and is currently unaffected by the Boulevard’s improvement initiative. According to DDA records, the work in the Uptown section of Biscayne Boulevard is expected to begin sometime this year with completion slated for 2008. An area that is currently affected by resurfacing work is Biscayne Boulevard north of 55th Street where stores with US-1 frontage are facing bulldozers, barricades, and crawling auto traffic. There’s little doubt as to the negative effect that the resurfacing initiative is having on those businesses. As a retailer, you don’t want a construction site situated on your front door step. As a consumer, you don’t want to have to traverse through construction traffic, dust clouds, and fragmented roads unless you have to…
Continue Reading September 14, 2007
Here we have a cargo ship routinely passing under the Metro-mover bridge. While waiting for the ship to pass, I couldn’t help but notice that it barely cleared the bridge–by like 10 feet or so. I know the river dredging project is going to allow cargo ship capacity to increase, but definitely not the size of the ships. This one just barely made it through.
May 29, 2007
The Bay Walk promenade is one of those public space projects that is a sort of icing on the cake. It isn’t necessary for the vibrancy of the urban core, but it will improve Downtown’s image, link the Bay Walk to the Miami River Greenway, boost local business activity, increase the quality of life and provide more bay access to the public, as well as add another tourist destination.
There are several major residential high rises recently built and/or under construction that are within a very short walking distance from the proposed Bay Walk. Naturally, buyers in these complexes have a vested interest in the plan’s success. Through a property value standpoint, they are to benefit the most if it is built. The DDA’s report, produced by Projects in Public Places (PPS) and in part by Dover, Kohler, & Partners, does not include how the I-395 realignment would affect the Bay Walk plans nor does it include how the added park space generated by the demolition of the existing I-395 overpass would be factored in.
Continue Reading May 23, 2007
When a city is undergoing a transformation involving billions of dollars in construction and millions of square feet in new residential and retail space, it’s normal to have bulldozers cut you off on the road.
May 16, 2007
New York-based Fortress Investments has acquired Florida East Coast Industries for $3.5 billion in a deal that gives the New York fund management firm control over rail lines that were originally created by Henry Flagler in the 19th Century. The rail lines pass through the urban core of several Florida cities including Miami, and are ideal for the expansion of the mass transit rail system. One of the FECI lines runs through Uptown parallel to Midtown. Armando Codina, principal of Flagler Development, an FECI subsidiary, is the biggest shareholder in the deal.
Map: Blue line represents existing FECI rail line (probable future passenger line) in M&E and Uptown area
May 9, 2007
The FDOT’s plans for the repositioning of the I-395 is vital for Miami’s urban core, particularly Parkwest and the M&E District. The plans for the Opus tower just north of the I-395 were canceled to ensure that the project would not be compromised, yet we hear of the $1 billion port tunnel bid being approved, but nothing about the I-395 repositioning. Let’s take a closer look at what the project will entail and how it may affect its surroundings:
Continue Reading May 8, 2007
South Beach’s 5th street flyover is studied by the FDOT in order to best determine what future course of action to take with the overpass in relation to the proposed plans for the voter-approved Baylink.
This is encouraging news since not much has been said about the Baylink in recent months. The City of Miami Beach initially opposed the Baylink proposition. The 5th street/Alton Rd. flyover currently runs through Boymelgreen’s Vitri project parcel and the proposed 5th and Alton big box project to the east.
April 30, 2007
Yesterday, Miami-Dade gained federal approval for the acquisition of 114 parcels of land along 9.5 miles of the NW 27th Avenue corridor. This land was needed in order to expand the Metrorail line from 82nd street to the Broward County boundary. This expansion will make the Metrorail accessible even to those in Southern Broward. The expansion will add seven new stations:
There will also be 36 new rail cars added to the mix. Although this does not solve the lack of rail transit access for the West Dade, it indicates a historic step forward for the Metrorail nevertheless. Existing East/West railroad tracks and plans for the Intermodal Center present a tantalizing future for westward expansion of the Metrorail, but plans remain largely stalled. As Miami’s urban core continues to rapidly evolve, daily, before our eyes, connecting everyone to it, is vital. This development is the latest step forward in pushing Miami’s world class agenda.
April 27, 2007
From October 31st - November 3rd there will be a Rail Volution in Miami. What is Rail Volution? Taken from their site:
“Rail~Volution is, first and foremost, a conference for passionate practitioners - people from all perspectives who believe strongly in the role of land use and transit as equal partners in the quest for greater livability and greater communities…Attending Rail~Volution is like being in the midst of a living, breathing laboratory where the best new ideas from around the country are introduced, tossed around with great fervor, researched and tested thoroughly, and then shared among like-minded colleagues. Expect to attend hands-on workshops that feature case studies and how-to discussions, symposia that provide in-depth explorations of issues facing every community, and inspiring plenary sessions that showcase some of the best livability minds in the country and the world. Attend Rail~Volution and you are guaranteed to return home with a palette of new ideas and a toolbox of new strategies for making your community more livable.”
I don’t know about you, but BoB will be attending.
March 9, 2007
Earlier today, on my way to Burger King, I quickly passed by one of the many infrastructure improvement signs along Miami-Dade county’s roads, but something caught my eye. On the sign, I thought I saw a half vanilla half chocolate cookie cartoon with arms, legs, and a face. I got a bit closer. It was no cookie.
Continue Reading February 14, 2007
Your money, faster. That shoud be the new motto with regards to the contractors working on the $1 billion South Terminal at Miami International Airport. The airport expansion project, considered one of the most expensive and expansive in the hemisphere, has been delayed now for quite some time.
Continue Reading February 14, 2007
AIG now owns DP World’s U.S. port stakes. This marks the end of the controversial Dubai port security issue that ruffled so many feathers in Washington and throughout the country. Miami, of course, was one of several cities that were going to fall under the DP World port security agreement. Continue reading for the Miami Herald article.
Continue Reading December 11, 2006
This South Florida Business Journal article summarizes the current state of fundraising that the counties are in with regards to new mass transit initiatives. Quite simply, without funding, there isn’t much that can be done. The idea of using existing railway lines has been floating around for years, and it is the most practical and cost effective solution to expanding the Metrorail network, but if the funding is not met, then it will all remain a pipe dream. Miami, more so than any other city the U.S., will rely heavily upon infrastructure improvements to accommodate the massive explosion in urban development activity. Miami-Dade County will become increasingly isolated from the city core as transit lines remain unexpanded and traffic congestion in the city soars and parking spaces disappear. These mass transit initiatives are more important than the new construction, because Miami will not be able to properly accommodate new growth without them.
Continue Reading November 27, 2006
Is the street car idea good or not? It is subject to debate. Certainly, the runoff election between Linda Haskins and Marc Sarnoff might be, according to this Miami Herald article, a referendum on the street car project, which incumbent Haskins supports and Sarnoff does not. Haskins argues that the street car is a vital part of accommodating the current growth rate. Sarnoff seems to consider the proposed initiative to have too many problems and risks. The idea, according to Sarnoff, is that hurricanes and strong storms will constantly disable the system, which will be reliant upon electric cables and consequently cost the city too much to maintain and repair. It is unclear as to what provisions can be added to address such contingencies. This project would be a private/public endeavor, should it get passed. This agreement, naturally, would be contractual and maintenance of the system would surely be a vital provision. It’s hard to see how the contract can address disasters, but surely it must. I’m not sure how insurance would play into the whole ordeal, but considering how absolutely terrible it is to get windstorm insurance for buildings, insuring such a major transit system might be exorbitantly expensive. Sarnoff’s solution is a hybrid bus system that will be more adaptable and cost effective. One of the problems of that idea, according to Haskins, is that it will not be appealing to more affluent members of the community. In addition, these hybrid buses will clog the streets with more mass and drivers on the street will not benefit. There is much more to consider, but this Miami Herald article brings the prospect of this streetcar initiative to question.
Continue Reading November 20, 2006
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