Why don't we just go and get them and bring them over?
The Grove is always trying to figure out how to get tourists from South Beach, Coral Gables, South Miami or downtown to come here. What about a shuttle. A free shuttle?
A trolley or one of the buses that looks like a trolley could literally drive around a few times a day and pick up and drop off people. Maybe even a double decker bus would be fun. I don't really care for these fake trolley looking buses you see in the photo here.
The bus could be a signature item of the Grove. People would know it is the Coconut Grove bus after awhile. But I suppose double decker buses are too expensive, especially if we want a flock of them out and about on the streets running simultaneously. But some sort of color or style or something could make it the "Grove Bus" or "Grove Trolley," a rolling utilitarian advertisement for Coconut Grove.
The bus could make stops, like a cable car would, and people could literally hop on, come to the Grove to shop or eat or wander around and then just catch the next trolley or bus back to wherever they started. It would run all day, into the night. It would be perfect for special events and even the monthly Art Stroll night.
I did mention the Coral Gables trolley in the past, which picks up people at the Metrorail station, but this would literally pick people up at set bus stops.
I have seen something similar in other cites for pub crawls and/or shopping trips. We already have the circulator, but that is for people who are actually here already. This new trolley system would literally go out and get the people and then bring them back to their hotels or home again.
posted by Tom Falco at 1:30 PM
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19 Comments:
Brilliant idea, Grape! Sounds like something we should get the BID behind, and maybe the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau would support it. Our hotel do pay into their fund, too, not just the ones in South Beach.
This is an excellent idea and should be pursued with the council.
Build it and they will come. And by "it" I mean stores, restauarants, galleries, and etc.
We have been fortunate that galleries have been opening. But, the number of stores/restaurants has dwindled over the years as other areas (Coral Gables, Lincoln Road, South Miami) have expanded. I love the grove but there just is not that much to draw tourists anymore, let's face it.
Great idea! I've seen similar trolleys in other neighborhoods around the country and they work very well.
It might not be that simple.
Insurance costs and maintenance costs to run the thing could be pretty high.
The other problem I see is how do you separate the tourists from the locals who are using it as another form of [free] mass transit?
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How about making a special tourist circulator out of existing resources? I understand the connector between the Grove & Gables, but South Beach? The traffic alone makes me not want to 'connect.' The last post about the locals vs. tourist usage is definately an issue. I went to a city that had one of these free transports, and the tourists (us) were basically left no seats because of locals who didn't want to pay bus fare. Its a tricky issue, wish it were as simple as you put it...Hell! I wish a LOT of things in life were simple!!!
Anon 8:16 is on the right track, there should be a shuttle/bus from the airport to the tourist destinations either as an individual route (airport to Grove, airport to Sobe, etc) or as a bigger route (Airport to gables, grove, and sobe). No stops between. This would help get those tourists from South Beach, since you know the cabbies aren't bringing them here
More than just a few tourist will be coming into the Grove soon, Trust me.
It's a great idea, and just one stop per area is the way to solve the (not so worrisome) "free transport for locals" (oh no) problem. have it run a loop from beach, downtown (bayfront?), gables to grove. No need to include airport, it's not worth the hassle. Also, the double decker would be an awesome trademark. Let's monster garage one of those DDs from in front of churchill's (the best bar in Miami not in the grove (because the uptights would never allow it)).
Another idea would be a pedestrian walkway from the coconut grove Metrorail stop. It’s convenient (if you don’t mind a nice walk), but crossing US1 is like playing frogger, you’re taking your life into your own hands and that signal give you the OK to cross for 5 seconds before it gives you the big red hand. Either that or just make it easier for people to walk across US1 and access the Grove from the public transportation we already have. I take the train to work everyday, and everyday is the same… a near death experience.
Rick's comment opened up an idea for funding it. Is this something that 1/2 cent sales tax for transportation could cover? So what if locals use it? I have friends who live in South Beach who never come to the Grove because they have the idea there's no parking and really they don't feel like driving to go out. If they could hop on a trolley maybe they would come. Personally, I'd like to see a water taxi from South Beach. Tourists would come because it's cool to get on a boat and go to dinner.
good idea. and so what if it is 'free transport for the locals'? is it better to have them clogging the streets with cars and no place to park?
the more mass transit, the better.
btw, south beach runs a 25 cent loop bus. how do they do it? it's one of the best utilities on the beach.
too bad they didnt put the money they wasted on those tourist info booths towards a shuttle bus instead.
Michelle has the idea here. If the riders come to the Grove to eat and shop, who cares if they're local or tourists? It's drawing in the paying customers that is the point.
Well, Michelle, youre friends are DEAD WRONG about parking and, after years of telling Grape I was gonna do this, Ive finally figured out how to make a parking map! I will be putting it together on my next trip as I sit in an airport or hotel. :)
The eighty cent man can finally get out of the Grove for Free. He should be on the first bus out of town.
I have always felt a bus/trolley option would be great to bring UM students to the area as well. I am originally from Columbus, OH where several of the downtown bars have come together in a joint venture to get a re-painted and re-vamped school bus that is used to bus Ohio State students between campus and downtown. The bus is 100% full 4-5 nights a week and has significantly impacted business in a very positive way.
Grape, this is a good concept, conceptionally, but price tag wise, not practical/quitodic. There are methods to reach potential tourist, say for example, in China before they depart, to convince to partially use their time in the U.S., to visit the Grove and frankly, almost cost free and also time wise friendly.
anon 12:31 pm - UM already uses it's own hurricane shuttles to transport UM students to the grove. That's been happening for 5 years or more.
I was under the impression the UM shuttle ran on Saturday nights only. There is a shuttle that runs to Sunset place four nights a week; hopefully it is doing at least that for the Grove.
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