March is Bike month in Florida. The weekend is here. Ask me what I have planned.

The weekend is here. The question in never 'what do I have planned for the weekend?' 

This will be another great weekend to get out and ride with family and friends. The question is 'how many miles will I get in?'

OK, I guess you could ask me 'gravel or road' but often that answer will be "both" if I am fortunate to ride both Saturday and Sunday. I do like to put a 'positive "spin"' on things.

Have a great weekend. Enjoy our outdoors.

FDOT Vision Zero. How many fatalities are acceptable?

An average of 800 pedestrians and bicyclists are killed in traffic crashes each year in Florida. 

What number do you find acceptable?

March is Florida Bike Month. It kicks off with Bike 305's "Bike To Work Day" which runs annually the first Friday in March. Know the rules of the road. Ride safe. Share the road.

March is "Florida Bike Month." Note that April is "National Bike Month"

Check out https://floridabicycle.org/  This site contains valuable information including:

Florida Bicycling FAQ   Info for Bicyclists     Info for Motorists

I have posted links to the local bike events listed to occur withing FDOT District 6:

District 6

Check out Bike 305 

and The Miami Bike Scene calendar!

March 1:  Bike 305 Bike to Work Day

March 2 : Homestead Community Bicycle Ride

March 3-4:  Bike MS – Breakaway to Key Largo – Miami  

March 3:  Coconut Grove Historic Bike Tour

March 10:  Get in Gear Community Ride – North Miami

March 10:  Bike Run Walk – Pinecrest

March 11:  Virginia Key 7th Anniversary (off road)

March 11:  Biscayne-Everglades Greenway ride

March 11:  Dade Heritage Trust: Miami Bike Tours

March 17:  Coconut Grove Historic Bike Tour

March 17:  Bike Nerds Miami Beach Grand Opening

March 17: EBC Miami Spice Ride – Miami

March 18:  3rd Annual Bike305 Ciclovia – North Miami Beach

March 25: 4G: Great Gator Gravel Grinder – Homestead (off road)

March 25:  Gables Bike Day – Coral Gables

March 25:  Speeding Wheels Series #4 – Doral

Listings for Florida Bicycle Month are provided as a service to Florida residents and visitors.  Please contact the program directly for information.  

I have posted links below detailing some of the past cycling events held here in Palmetto Bay.

September 15, 2015, Save the DATE - Family bike ride and event at Deering estate - sponsored by FDOT and partners - more information to follow

Saturday, October 17, 2015 - "Bike on The Bay" including a family bike ride from Black Point beginning at 8 AM to Miami-Dade County's Deering Estate where there will be a fun morning of activities scheduled up to noon. 

October 20, 2015, Bike By The Bay - 2015 event was a great start. Photos. Thank you to all who sponsored and participated.

A great start - the inaugural "Bike By The Bay" - Saturday, October 17, 2015 - The weekend of October 17 & 18 was a huge weekend for bike events with events going on in Coral Gables, Miami Beach, South Miami and south Miami-Dade.  Fear of projected poor weather fueled brief thoughts of cancellation, but sticking to the plan was rewarded with outstanding weather.  Hundreds got pumped up for the Oct. 17 road-sharing safety awareness event, "Bike on the Bay."  A fun morning of meeting up with friends and neighbors, riding along the Old Cutler Bike Trail, one of the most scenic places to ride a bike (or walk, job or simply take time to enjoy local nature).

November 15, 2015, Busy, rainy, event filled-weekend. WHEELS, DARE Art Festival pushed through the rain, Food & Rock cancelled

November 13, 14 & 15 was a very busy weekend impacted by rains all weekend.  The WHEELS Big Bash was forced to shut down early on Saturday due to torrential rain. A nice ride made very wet - the WHEEL Bike Train that stated/ended in South Miami, running down the South Dade Bike Trail, onto 168 Street, west through Larry & Penny Thompson Park, onto and south through the Black Creek Trail to Black Point then up through Cutler Bay, Palmetto Bay, and through Pinecrest on the Old Cutler Trail back to South Miami.  

November 20, 2015 - You are invited - Sunday, 11/22 Bike Ride - Palmetto Bay with District 8 County Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava and Mayor Eugene Flinn of Palmetto Bay.

Let's ride.  Please consider this your invitation (or excuse) to ride Palmetto Bay via bicycle this Sunday.  The meet up is 8:00 AM (thank you Vanessa!) and we roll from the parking lot of the Deering Estate Vistior's Center.

April 23, 2017, Palmetto Bay Earth Day events - Family Bike Ride - April 22, 2017 - video & photos

A great Family Bike Ride - part of Palmetto Bay's Earth Week 2017.  (yes, I was late - coming from troop 457's Eagle Scout Court of Honor, but I did my best to race and catch up with the ride in progress.)  I took the embedded video and 29 of the 30 photographs posted below. Can you find yourself, family or friends in any of the pics?  If not, I hope to see you at our next ride. (Please take the time to view prior blog posts, photos and videos by clicking the "Bicycling" Label - labels posted in the right side column) 

Just a few of the many Palmetto Bay bike events are listed above. Have fun during Florida Bike Week. And don't forge,; April is National Bike Week.

 

 

Friendly Reminder - FDOT District Six Tentative Five-Year Work Program Public Hearing in Miami-Dade County

PUBLIC HEARING INVITATION

Come Learn About the Florida

Department of Transportation's District Six 

TENTATIVE FIVE-YEAR WORK PROGRAM 

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, November 13, 2018

**LOCATION CHANGE**

Hilton Garden Inn - Flamingo Conference Room 

1695 NW 111 Avenue, Sweetwater, Florida 33172

RSVP Now! Click here

 Can't attend in person? Join us online!

 You can participate in the public hearing via webcast and Facebook Live at the same time and date listed above. The presentation will begin at 6:45 p.m.

Register for the GoToWebinar here for Miami-Dade County only

 or

Watch on Facebook Live @MyFDOTMiami

YOUR OPINION IS IMPORTANT TO US.

FDOT PROJECT MANAGERS WILL BE ON HAND TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS AND ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.

 Click here to visit our website

Click here to download a PDF of this invitation

Exciting news on School Transportation! Our Palmetto Bay EAC to receive an update on School Pool - Car Pooling

I  told you that additional traffic programs are set to roll out on traffic here in Palmetto Bay. Here is one more program - this one specific to our school traffic issues.

Come to our next Education Advisory Committee (EAC) and learn more about Car Pooling to our schools located in Palmetto Bay. The next EAC meeting is set for Tuesday, June 26th at 6:30 pm at Village Hall, 9705 E Hibiscus Street, Palmetto Bay, FL 33157 

The Miami-Dade County Public Schools is partnering with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) / South Florida Commuter Services to expand the School Pool Program to include all schools in the Village of Palmetto Bay for the 2018-19 school year.

This transportation item is being placed on the EAC agenda to allow FDOT, School and So. Fla. Commuter Services to explain in detail what the program entails and how to best inform the public about this opportunity to reduce traffic on the streets of Palmetto Bay.

We may need to move the June Education Advisory Board (EAC) meeting to the council chambers! Why? To provide for proper space for our interested public to learn more about this good news on this Transportation School Pool program. We are attempting to confirm the attendance of the FDOT representatives.

For more information on School Pool, please visit: GoSchoolPool (CLICK HERE)

         What is SchoolPool? (info taken from their website)

SchoolPool is a free service offered by the Florida Department of Transportation in cooperation with Miami-Dade County Public Schools. The program connects families interested in carpooling, biking or walking to and from school and provides incentives to parents and students who share the ride. It can even match families participating in before-and after-school programs. If you are tired of idling in the car pick-up line each day, SchoolPool is perfect for you!

I remain proud of the hard work of our EAC. The members of the EAC serve the Village by reviewing and supporting the terms of the Education Compact that was entered into between the Village and Miami-Dade County Public Schools. I am honored to be the Council Liaison for the EAC.

I invite parents, caregivers, as well as the members of the public who are interested in hearing about another effort at traffic mitigation to attend to hear details regarding the (FDOT) / South Florida Commuter Services intention to expand the School Pool Program to include all schools in the Village of Palmetto Bay.

Car pooling to school is far from new.  Times may have changed from when I was able to walk to my local Elementary School, which I did and I biked as well. I was part of a Car Pool to what when then known as "Junior" High School.

Pedestrian/Bicycle Safety. Participating in the "Dead Serious" campaign.

On Friday, May 18, it was my privilege to represent Palmetto Bay in the first meeting of County Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava's "Dead Serious" campaign.

Pinecrest, Cutler Bay and Palmetto Bay were present through elected officials and concerned residents who participated with Miami-Dade County, district 8. Miami-Dade County Parks, TPO, Bike 305, Everglades Bike Club, FDOT, Police and UM. Everyone working together.

Great collaboration & commitment to pedestrian and cycling safety. We’re creating an action plan for more education, infrastructure, enforcement and uniformity. #DeadSerious #VisionZero #completestreets #community

Miami-Dade Transportation Planning Organization
Miami-Dade Parks Miami-Dade County Government Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works Miami-Dade Police Department FDOT South - Miami Area Bike305 University of Miami Cutler Bay, Florida Palmetto Bay, Florida Village of Pinecrest Peggy Bell Eugene Flinn WIOD Miami's Community Newspapers

SW 136th Street project - FDOT - State Road (SR) 5/US 1 at Howard Drive/SW 136 Street, Project Identification Number: 439984-1-52-01

This project affects both Pinecrest and Palmetto Bay.

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District Six is developing the design for a safety improvement project along SR 5/US 1 at Howard Drive/SW 136 Street, in Miami-Dade County. The scope of work for this project is listed in the project fact sheet (CLICK HERE to view online).

 Construction is expected to begin in November 2020 and last about four months. The estimated construction cost for this project is $385,520.

Work is expected to begin in November 2020 and last about four months. Please note that the construction duration is subject to change.

Project Identification Number: 439984-1-52-01

Traffic ALERT : FDOT Roadway Project Starts on US 1 on January 16th - scheduled to last through July 2018

The State (FDOT) is about to start a major update project on US1 beginning January 16th,  Plan on significant delays and increased traffic weaving through neighborhoods.  This is a long project, scheduled to begin on January 16th and  will run through July, 2018 - a 7 month project! We will pass on notifications from FDOT.  You can also follow the project through the official FDOT website.  

As posted on the official Village website on December 20, 2017 (CLICK HERE)

Roadway Project Starts on US 1 on January 16th

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is scheduled to begin a roadway construction project during the week of January 16, 2018 along northbound SR 5/US 1/South Dixie Highway from north of SW 184 Street to south of SW 168 Street in Miami-Dade County.  More details are provided on this fact sheet.

WORK TO BE PERFORMED
• Repaving and restriping the roadway
• Updating pedestrian ramps, signage and pavement markings to meet current standards
• Upgrading existing traffic signals to meet current standards
• New street lighting
• Drainage improvements• Modifying abandoned driveways
LANE CLOSURE AND DETOUR INFORMATION
Lane closures shall occur only during non-peak hours on non-event days/nights/weekends. Non-peak hours are:
• 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., weekdays and weekends
• 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m., Sunday through Thursday
• 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., Friday and Saturday

Paving will be performed at night. Lane closure and project information will be posted weekly on the department’s website, www.fdotmiamidade.com. 

 FOR MORE INFORMATION (direct from FDOT)

For more information, please contact Project Administrator Farhang Esmailzadeh, (305) 986-9530, or Community Outreach Specialist Oscar Gonzalez at (786) 280-0983 or ogonzalez@mrgmiami.com.

This is an FDOT project that will impact Palmetto Bay throughout the road work period. Per FDOT notification:

HELPFUL TIPS
• Allow extra time to reach your destination
• Obey all posted signs and speed limits

ALWAYS PUT SAFETY FIRST
For your safety and the safety of others, please use caution when driving, walking or biking around any construction zone.
Wearing a safety belt is the single most effective way to protect people and reduce fatalities in motor vehicle crashes. The department takes steps to reduce construction effects, but you might experience the following around the work site.
• Travel lane closures and detours
• Increased dust and noise
• Workers and equipment moving around the area

Please note that this schedule could change due to bad weather or other unexpected conditions

Bike By The Bay - 2015 event was a great start. Photos. Thank you to all who sponsored and participated.

A great start - the inaugural "Bike By The Bay" - Saturday, October 17, 2015

The weekend of October 17 & 18 was a huge weekend for bike events with events going on in Coral Gables, Miami Beach, South Miami and south Miami-Dade.  Fear of projected poor weather fueled brief thoughts of cancellation, but sticking to the plan was rewarded with outstanding weather.  Hundreds got pumped up for the Oct. 17 road-sharing safety awareness event, "Bike on the Bay."  A fun morning of meeting up with friends and neighbors, riding along the Old Cutler Bike Trail, one of the most scenic places to ride a bike (or walk, job or simply take time to enjoy local nature).

Palmetto Bay was host to a share the road safety-awareness bike ride sponsored by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).  A safety-awareness event was held post ride at the Deering Estate Visitor Center Parking Lot. 

I was honored to participate.  Bike By The Bay 2015 was brought to you by these fine organizations and partners:
FDOT – District 6
Village of Palmetto Bay
Village of Palmetto Bay Parks & Recreation Department
Miami-Dade County Police Department
Miami-Dade County Parks Department
Deering Estate at Cutler
University of Miami Bike Safe & Walk Safe
Miami-Dade County Bike 305
Mack Cycle
Elite Cycling & Fitness
Green Mobility
Miami-Dade County School Board Vice Chair, Dr. Larry Feldman was also a proud participant. 

 

Please make plans to attend "Bike By The Bay" 2016.  More community bike rides are being scheduled, including the 2nd Annual "Mayor's Bike Ride" to take place the morning of the Village Celebration Picnic.

Let's ride - this event is just one more example of why we live here!

Update on the Bike on the Bay event - Saturday, October 17 - new route, more details

New information.  Please make plans on attending.  This should shape up to be a fun event for the entire family.

The Saturday, October 17, 2015 - "Bike on The Bay" has a new route for the family bike ride.  It starts and ends at Miami-Dade County's Deering Estate where there will be a fun morning of activities scheduled up to noon.

Bike safety - and a community fun event. CLICK HERE to view the village Facebook page for more information and follow this page for more information as it develops.

I am looking forward to working with our new Village Police Commander, FDOT, Deering Estate and all the FDOT region partners.

Save the DATE - Family bike ride and event at Deering estate - sponsored by FDOT and partners - more information to follow

Save the date - Saturday, October 17, 2015 - "Bike on The Bay" including a family bike ride from Black Point beginning at 8 AM to Miami-Dade County's Deering Estate where there will be a fun morning of activities scheduled up to noon.  More information to follow.

(l to r) FDOT Community Traffic Safety Program Coordinator Carlos Sarmiento, Mayor Eugene Flinn,Village Policing Unit Lt. Serralta, and Communications Manager Bill Kress

Bike safety - and a community fun event. This event includes a family bike ride which starts at Black Point and ends at the Deering Estate. Let me know if you want to join up for a ride DOWN to the starting point at Black Point on Saturday morning - we'll make it a round trip!  Or simply meet up at the Deering Estate for the morning of fun bike-related activities.

CLICK HERE to view the village Facebook page for more information and follow this page for more information as it develops.

I am looking forward to working with our new Village Police Commander, FDOT, Deering Estate and all the FDOT region partners. See the 'Save The Date' flier below.

Pinecrest gives notice of upcoming business/community process for visioning sessions along US1 corridor

What will the US1 corridor look like far into the future?  Here is a chance to actually participate in the future of US1 rather then wondering "what if", or bemoaning that "they should have considered X" 

The Pinecrest Village Council has given notice that they have initiated a transparent and community active process for the creation of a vision and community consensus for the future development, redevelopment, beautification, and enhancement of the US 1 commercial corridor. 

Interested persons and businesses should follow and participate in the process.  This process will include  community forums, several public presentations and an intensive one-day charrette.

Schedule of Meetings

April 25, 2012, 6:30 p.m. - Steering Committee Organization Meeting

May 9, 2012, 6:30 p.m. - Forum

May 23, 2012, 6:30 p.m. - Forum

May 30, 2012, 6:30 p.m. - Forum

June 9, 2012, 10:00 a.m. - Charrette

Please visit www.pinecrest-fl.gov for

additional meeting information including locations.

CLICK HERE to review the actual Pinecrest e-notice.

Follow the process.  Get involved.

Planning for the future is made better through public understanding and active participation.

Traffic Nightmare for Cutler Bay and US1 Northbound commuters? The traffic buzz in Cutler Bay.

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is working a roadway project which will last about three months from start date.  This project is located at State Road 5/US1 at SW 200 Street/Caribbean Boulevard in Cutler Bay.  

This project will be a short term inconvenience for what will hopefully result in long term gains for area traffic flow.

Click "read more" to continue to view official project details including scope of work and project time frame for completion.

Upcoming US1 Traffic Nightmares along US1 in both Pinecrest and Palmetto Bay, beginning July 2012. You should attend the informational FDOT meeting.

Pinecrest and Palmetto Bay residents are going to have to deal with temporary lane and sidewalk closures on U.S. 1 during a three-part road maintenance project slated to start May 2012 and end a year later. This will cause short term inconveniences for long term gains.

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is designing construction plans for improvements to Pinecrest Parkway (US 1) from 136 Street to 102 Street.  FDOT is conducting this public meeting to offer the public an opportunity to review the project design and ask questions.

The first part of the project includes repaving U.S. 1 from 102nd to 136th Street, installing push-button and countdown signals at pedestrian crosswalks, repairing damaged sidewalks, installing drainage inlets and restriping the roadway to provide a wide outside lane to be shared with bicyclists.

The Palmetto Bay section is the third part of the project which is presently slated to commence in July 2012.  This project will run from SW 136 to 168 Street. It will include the same items as the first part, plus providing new railings for two bridges – one at Southwest 139th Street and the other north of 160th Street.

Click "read more" to continue to view meeting and project details as well as resource links.