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Following Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava’s strong commitment to Vision Zero, aimed at reducing traffic accidents, fatalities and serious injuries by 2040, the Miami-Dade Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW), the Miami-Dade County District 5 Commission Office, and the Miami Downtown Development Authority (Miami DDA) have collaborated to add 170 special separation devices in the buffer zones of the bike lanes along N. Miami Avenue and NE First Avenue.
These devices create protected bicycle lanes, providing cyclists with clearly marked space for biking separate from traffic, while also promoting slower speeds and discouraging vehicles from parking in these dedicated lanes.
“As we continue to grow as a community, it is crucial that our infrastructure reflects the needs of all who live and work here. This project is another step forward in creating safe, equitable, and efficient mobility for all, including our large community of cyclists,” Mayor Levine Cava said. “Whether you’re driving, walking, cycling, or using public transit, everyone deserves to feel safe on our streets. Together, we are building a future where safety and accessibility go hand in hand, ensuring that every resident is safe, regardless of how they move.”
The separation devices not only will enhance visual awareness between motorists and pedestrians, leading to increased safety, they will contribute to the beautification of the area. The marine-grade aluminum planters selected for this project, provided by Green Theory and Division 32, have anti-graffiti coating and will feature a variety of Florida native plants. The planters will be maintained by the Miami DDA’s Downtown Enhancement Team and will enhance the aesthetic appeal of the Downtown area while also supporting sustainability.
“The new landscape planters simultaneously add to the beauty of Downtown Miami while making it a more enjoyable and safer place for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers alike. We look forward to expanding the program by adding zipper buffers and expanding outside of the Central Business District,” said Miami-Dade County District 5 Commissioner Eileen Higgins, vice chair of the Miami DDA.
These planters are part of the Downtown Mobility Network, a joint planning and funding effort among the county, city, Miami DDA, Miami Parking Authority, District 5 Commission Office and District 2 City Commission Office. The program proposed implementing 2.5 miles of separated bike lanes in the Central Business District of Downtown Miami and installation began in 2021.
“We want to ensure that regardless of how you travel through Downtown Miami, you are able to do so safely,” said Christina Crespi, CEO and executive director of the Miami DDA.
“We are proud to help fund this initiative to provide cyclists with a clear path to navigate the urban core, while also protecting our pedestrians and providing more mobility options for the workers, residents, students and visitors that frequent the area.”
For the next phase, the same kind of protection will be installed on NE and NW Fifth and Sixth streets. Future plans for the Downtown Mobility Network include extending it to NE 15th Street, the Venetian Causeway, and eventually Brickell. This program aligns with Miami-Dade County’s and the Miami DDA’s transportation goals of developing innovative micro-mobility networks and expanding protected bike lanes throughout the county.
“We are continuing our commitment to creating safer modes of transportation throughout the county,” added Eulois Cleckley, DTPW director and CEO. “These safety improvements advance our lofty goal of ending all traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2040.”
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