Miami-Dade County and Miami DDA enhance safety in the Miami Downtown area with new protected bike lanes

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 North Miami Avenue and Northeast 1st 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,” said Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “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 will not only enhance visual awareness between motorists and pedestrians, leading to increased safety, they will also 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 Commissioner Eileen Higgins, District 5 County Commissioner and Vice-Chairman of the Miami DDA.

These planters are part of the Downtown Mobility Network, a joint planning and funding effort between the County, the City, the 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. 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,” said Christina Crespi, CEO and Executive Director of the Miami DDA.

For the next phase, the same kind of protection will be installed on Northeast and Northwest 5^th and 6^th Streets. Future plans for the Downtown Mobility Network include extending it to Northeast 15^th 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 DTPW Director and CEO Eulois Cleckley. “These safety improvements advance our lofty goal of ending all traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2040.”

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About the Miami Downtown Development Authority (Miami DDA)   

The Miami DDA is an agency of the City of Miami funded by a special tax levy on properties within its district boundaries. It is governed by a 15-member Board comprised of three public appointees and 12 downtown property owners, residents and/or workers who are tasked with overseeing the direction of the agency and setting policy. The agency is committed to grow, strengthen, and promote the economic health and vitality of downtown Miami. As an agency of the City of Miami, the Miami DDA advocates, facilitates, plans, and executes business development, quality of life, planning and capital improvements, and marketing and communication strategies. Visit www.MiamiDDA.com for more information.