A reader is concerned with lack of crosswalks
From a reader:
This is my main concern for the Grove: there are no decent pedestrian crossings in the neighborhood, such as in 27th and 22nd avenues. It is a daily threat to walk and cross to go to Kennedy Park with my children. Also, cars drive down 22nd and 27th Avenues as if they are highways. If the Grove had more pedestrian facilities, neighbors would head down to CocoWalk and the parks more often, feel safer, and happier in a wonderful location. I understand that the Grove's internal structure and street planning makes it very difficult to establish a pedestrian trail, due to its narrow streets and alleys, but we can only expect to have a decent paths at least where there is the possibility for so, that is, in the big wide avenues. Mothers and families of kids need and would use these pedestrian crosses, as well as all people in general. We want to feel that our city is really evolving towards a more human place to live."
This is my main concern for the Grove: there are no decent pedestrian crossings in the neighborhood, such as in 27th and 22nd avenues. It is a daily threat to walk and cross to go to Kennedy Park with my children. Also, cars drive down 22nd and 27th Avenues as if they are highways. If the Grove had more pedestrian facilities, neighbors would head down to CocoWalk and the parks more often, feel safer, and happier in a wonderful location. I understand that the Grove's internal structure and street planning makes it very difficult to establish a pedestrian trail, due to its narrow streets and alleys, but we can only expect to have a decent paths at least where there is the possibility for so, that is, in the big wide avenues. Mothers and families of kids need and would use these pedestrian crosses, as well as all people in general. We want to feel that our city is really evolving towards a more human place to live."
posted by Tom Falco at 8:00 AM
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17 Comments:
Sidewalks could certainly be built or overhauled, especially on chaotic streets like 27th av, and all along South Bayshore DR, down to Key Biscayne. Some stretches there are Lunar lanscapes, not even fit for mountain bikes.
But I don't see that much danger in Crossing the streets. And I've been doing it all over the Grove for years. You just wait for the light, or look both ways and jump in cautiously. As in any City. They put some fancy crossing fixture in front of Fresh Market, which is activated when a pedestrian pushes the botton, a strange light start Flashing, and the pedestrian stops all traffic, whenever he wants. I don't know, is that what you want? In some cities they build overhead passes for busy street crossings, bridges of sorts with stairs, but that's for extremely crowded big cities..
I agree with the poster above. Look both ways and cross. We don't need crosswalks and big flashing signs cluttering our streets.
Sidewalks and crossings are handled by the county. See your county commissioner if you have concerns about a particular intersection. I found that a good, but short, home video can make an excellent lobbying tool.
Years ago, Commissioner Morales convened a meeting with me and a county traffic engineer to watch some video that I took on a Friday before Arts Festival weekend. He was so shocked that he instructed the engineers to immediately look at what they could do. The results were the crossing light at Kirk and Bayshore, across from Kennedy Park, and the 4-way stop at Lincoln and Lucaya.
I agree that the condition of the sidewalks is deplorable, especially on major streets in the Grove. Try navigating Tigertail on foot from 22nd Ave. to Aviation, for example. It's trickier than you might think.
Part of the problem is that Grovites tend to treat the swale as part of their own property, planting shrubs and installing landscaping features that block what is supposed to be a public right of way. Of course, you will hear many lectures on civic virtue in the Grove, but try to raise this issue and, er, you'll get an earful.
A pedestrian walkway or longer lights on 27th and US1 would be beneficial. I take the train to work everyday and literally have to take my life into my own hands crossing to the Train. The metro should be utilized as an easy, fast, and above all safe way to get people to the Grove (especially with the horrible parking, this should be a great option). There is no crosswalk and the "walk" light is only flashing for all of 5 seconds. Its dangerous and not very user friendly.
Everyone in favor of sidewalks should talk to their neighbors about the issue. The company line coming from our Commissioner's office is that a number of properties do not have dedicated rights of way for sidewalks, and that the City will not exercise eminent domain to build sidewalks. Some people, they say (and I know people who have expressed this feeling), like the quaint ambiance especially of the North and South Grove's sidewalk-free, tree lined streets, and do not want sidewalks. It's a touchy issue. Having walked on Tigertail during evening rush hour, and run through the patchwork in Center Grove, I fall in the sidewalks camp, but lots of people don't.
Lack of enforcement is also an issue for speeding on Sw 22 Ave, Tigertail and Bayshore Drive.
I also agree with Michelle, several attempts to get sidewalks have run into resistance. You need sidewalks for crosswalks except where the County deem that you don't.
Also the roads right now are in desperate need of paving, South Bayshore especially the runnng/biking/walking path where there is no sidewalks are so broken up it's not safe. Same thing on Main Highway, Ransom and Carrollton are not doing a good job cleaning the sidewlaks there of debris and the school and camp parents not only park and block the sidewalks they also block the crosswalks that are there.
Also most curbing areas are so broken up in most neighborhhods it's dangerous on most sides of the roads that do not have sidewalks.
I am lucky enough to live just off tigetail which is really pleasant to walk on (except the dog duty smell) and has a sidewalk leading me tight in to the business centerm which is awesome for me since I do not drive. But going up 27th ave to the metro can sometimes be tricky, specially that some the new buildings have put intrucive lanscaping in where I used to be able to walk, now i have to be on the street in the traffic shich is sometimes not all that nice to pedestriants.
A normal corsswalk is fine by me, the fresh market crosswalk is great as I use it all the time, but I find that drivers have no clue what the flashing lights mean, there is no sign explaining it and many drivers get mad if you just cross as instructed thinking you are leaping into moving traffic.
I do have a DVR camcorder if anyone needs a hand making a video to improve their streets. you can contact me via my website... I will be glad to help though I am not the paperwork type so I have no idea how to really get things done in goverment, I will leave that to those more capable.
:)
Anon@10.58am.
I've been e-mail every "representative" for over a year now, on numerous occasions and talked to some of them personally about the issue of repaving, fixing and building bike-paths and sidewlks on some key streets like South Bayshore, 27th av, Tiger Tail (mine-field), Main Hwy, etc. These are the most transitted streets by pedestrians, bikes and runners, besides the Heart of Central Grove.
Their response has been either silence, or as Major Manny Diaz and others have replied to me in writing, an issue of budgeting and conflicting jurisdictions between counties.. IOW, politics as usual.
They say S.Bayshore Dr, for instance is a priority for these improvements, but they don't even have a plan yet.. counties, budgets, blah, blah, blah. Go figure where the generous Tax payers' monies go: Elsewhere in Miami.
Atena: I don't know what part of Tiger Tail you are talking about, but I've lived right next to it for 4 years, and I run, walk and bike through the entire Street several times a week. Pleasant to Walk, you say? where? It's plagued with holes and cracks, has no sidewalks on many places, certainly a MESS for pedestrians, runners or Bikers. Let's get real..
Carlos iglesia
Seems the Grovites always forget 32nd avenue when discussing local pedestrian traffic. My block has sidewalks, but many on 32nd do not. I think they would ADD to the look of the street. In addition, the speed limit is regularly exceeded here. I wonder if a pedestrian crosswalk (or more radically a traffic light) midway down might help?
Also VERY MUCH attention should be paid to Jessica's comment about the crosswalk over US1. Aside from taking the bus into the Grove from the station, this cross walk is the pedestrian route in for non-drivers visiting the grove. Crossing there is really scary. Perhaps a longer 4-Way stop?
I think the video is a good idea, specially since I litteraly have to stop the traffic to make my children cross on 27th and 22nd. Sidewalks are a problem too. Speeding and low enforcement...
I think that the people that state that just by waiting for the light and looking bothsides and just cross, have never used these up mentioned avenues.
Thank you
I agree with your comments on the sidewalk issues! I recently wrote Commissioner Sarnoff in regards to the lack of sidewalks on Mary Street between Oak and Bird Avenues. Pedestrians are forced to walk on the street and it's very dangerous. I've heard no word from Sarnoff's office.
to Anon 12:47 and Atena:
Atena must live south of Aviation, after which point tigertail is a great place to walk. But anything north of aviation is a trainwreck.
The sad part is no matter how many complaints there are, nothing will ever be done about that issue. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Sidewalks on tigertail will be ignored for at least the next 20 years if not forever. Anyone interested in wagering on that I'm willing.
The easy solution would be to repave and add a bikepath, which could also be used by pedestrians. I know bikers will hate that, but would you rather swerve around a guy walking or around cars?
Most importantly, let's repave that road on which many residents pay ridiculous property taxes. A road lined with $3/4 million and up houses, which is one of the more traveled roads into and out of the grove for cars and particularly bikes, is the worst street in the grove. Have we done something to piss off our representatives?
that guy:
No, we're just the City's piggy-bank for boondoggles in other parts of town. And they know that they can count on the Grove to keep supporting the liberal policies that make the boondoggles possible.
In other words, they aren't pissed off at us. They just think we're suckers.
Hell has now frozen over. I have finally agreed with something that SWLIP has said! :)
I think I just jizzed in my pants.
this "pedestrian versus car" seems to be a hot issue in the Grove. I agree with the original poster on everything, I can't believe there's no pedestrian crossing on 27th av. from US1 to Bayshore drive, that is 3/4 of a Mile!!!!! It must be a World record! Why don't we just paint "Zebra crossings" on 27th av? We just need some paint...
Talking about Sarnof. Anybody knows why did they build the roundabout next to his house?
He's got a roundabout fetish... and it matches the dog park built just for him right across the street from his house at his request.
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