Photo / Jorge R. Perez / City of Miami

On Aug. 19 the city of Miami held its second Miami Bicycle Summit. According to a newsletter from Mayor Manny Diaz, “Roughly 50 people came to listen to the progress of the Bicycle Master Plan and to share their experiences, ideas and reflections on where we are and where we are going. It was inspiring to see how many people care about cycling in our city and I encourage everyone to stay involved.”

Mayor Diaz, a cycling enthusiast, further details the city’s bicycle initiative at MayorMannyDiaz.blogspot.com. He writes, “The City of Miami Bicycle Master Plan includes a study of current conditions, standards for better bicycle parking facilities and guidelines for implementation of a bicycle route network to connect our city’s parks, schools, shopping areas, special districts and neighborhoods. When completed, the plan will drive this city’s staff and future leaders to promoting a more bicycle-friendly city through policy, infrastructure, education and enforcement. It will be up to you, the residents of our city, to keep the pressure on your local leaders and make sure that Miami fulfills its promise of becoming of safer, friendlier, more sustainable place to live, work and play.”

The City of Miami Bike Miami Rides program returned on Sunday, Aug. 23. Cycling enthusiasts started at Mary Brickell Village’s Brickell Plaza where they met police officers and volunteers for a ride through the streets of Little Havana, Shenandoah and Brickell neighborhoods.

For more information, visit Bike-Miami.com.

Bike Miami Rides, the City of Miami’s free community bicycle event, offers residents the opportunity to become safer and more confident urban cyclists with help from police officers and volunteers. On Sunday, July 19, residents and visitors met at 8:30 a.m. at the City of Miami NET Office and learned the basics of better cycling before heading out for a two-hour bicycle ride through Miami’s Historic MiMo, Little Haiti and Buena Vista neighborhoods, plus the Design District.

The ride was free. Participants had to bring their own bicycles.

Before the ride, residents learned the following:

• The A-B-C quick check: how to check your bicycle’s air, brakes and chain for road-readiness;
• Helmet fitting: how to fit your bicycle helmet for optimum safety;
• The rules, rights and responsibilities of cyclists and motorists on roadways.

At the end of the ride, participants were invited to join the City of Miami Bicycle Coordinator, members of the City of Miami Bicycle Action Committee, city staff and volunteers for lunch.

Bike Miami Days and Rides is an initiative by Mayor Manny Diaz to promote community, livable streets, bicycling and walking. All official events are free, family-friendly and require no registration.

For more information, visit Bike-Miami.com.

Bike Miami Days is an initiative by Mayor Manny Diaz to promote outdoor activity and a sense of community.

In addition to cycling, events included live music, an international village, a kids corner, yoga and stretching classes, raffles and more.

For more information visit Bike-Miami.com. Organizers are planning more Bike Miami Days in the fall.

To read Miami’s Bicycle Action Plan from October 2008, visit MiamiGov.com/cms/Files/Bicycle_Action_Plan_Approved_by_Commission_10-16-08.pdf