Transportation to the New Marlins Ballpark

[Big Z]

Have they noted anything about the transportation at the New Marlins ballpark? It would be very cool if they had something like what the heat have, that you can get on the metrorail then switch to the metro mover and it leaves you literally a couple of blocks away from the AAA. I know the Metrorail passes pretty close to the new stadium, an it would be ideal for people who work/live in downtown.

[Fish Tank Frenzy]

Supposedly they will have bus shuttles from the Vizcaya Metrorail stop and the intermodel center at Miami International Airport, which will have both tri rail and metrorail. They need to add a line or add light rail to the stadium but thats just a pipe dream.

[Party]

For the foreseeable future shuttle buses from the nearby MetroRail stops (Culmer, Government Center, Vizcaya, the MIC) will be the only convenient mass transit options for the ballpark.

Miami-Dade County pulled their proposal for expanding the Orange Line. We will not see a MetroRail stop at the new ballpark for atleast 15 years if not more. We won't see the East/West line, which IMO would be huge for the Marlins for another 20-25 years. Miami-Dade Transit is a mess right now. In recent years it has shifted its priorities to getting its very messy house in order and smaller system improvements.

After the MIC is completed and MetroRail is finally connected to MIA (only took 30 years) you won't see any major mass transit projects for many years. The County can't come up with the money to maintain new projects once their built-- one of the major reasons why the feds did not want to fund Orange Line expansion.

The county is considering using $33 million appropriated by Congress for MetroRail expansion for smaller system improvements. The county is studying the viability of a bus rapid transit line from northern Dade (JRS) to downtown. That could be of consequence for the Marlins if done right.

Pipedream but if the city of Miami ever gets the streetcars going the new stadium could definitely be a stop. (Even though, it was not a stop in the original design.)

[Big Z]

I'm hoping the parking garages will not generate too much traffic and will make the exiting process from the new stadium a quick one. I know to most people waiting is a dreadful experience.

[Party]

I was looking around at some of the mass transit options.

Parking is going to be atleast $15.

Tri-Rail to MetroRail to Miami Intermodal Center to Shuttle to Stadium:

Unless things change, you will be able to get to the ballpark but you won't be able to go home. The last train leaves from MIA at 9:40 PM. But assuming service is extended on game nights...

Parking: Free?

Fare Calculator

Examples:

Weekday Round Trip Pass

Magnolia Park (northernmost stop): $11.50
Fort Lauderdale: $8.45
Hollywood: $6.25

Weekend Round Trip Pass

Magnolia Park (northernmost stop): $5.00
Fort Lauderdale: $5.00
Hollywood: $5.00

Transfer to MetroRail (if you do not go to MIC): Free
MetroRail to Tri-Rail: $.50 but good for $1.75 off Tri-Rail ticket

Transfer to Shuttle Bus: $.25

Total cost of trip: $5.75-$12.25

Express Bus to MetroRail to Shuttle to Stadium:

• MetroRail operates from 5 AM to midnight
  Train every 7-8 minutes during rush hour
  Every 30 minutes after 7:30 PM

Express Bus: $2.35 (only available south of Dadeland MetroRail station)
Parking: $4.00 per day ($10 monthly pass available)
MetroRail: $2.00 ($2.00 one time to purchase EASY card)
Metro to Shuttle transfer: $.25

Total trip cost: $6.25-$8.55

Beats the shit out of burning through 1.5 gallons of gas + Miami-Dade tolls + $15 in parking.

[Big Z]

How odd, we were talking about the Metro yesterday and today there was an accident with the metromover. I believe the accident was in Brickell, 16 people were injured, luckily nobody was hurt.

Anyways, I believe parking at a metro rail station is free on the weekends, or atleast it isn't enforced as much as on the weekdays. Also, people might fear the Metro rail because it does make some "dangerous stops" (Allapattah), which is somewhere you don't want to be at 11 PM.

I'm looking on the Miamidade.gov transit site and it shows that from the Gov't center stop to the New Marlins stadium it would be about 16 mins. The 16 mins, includes 10 mins walking. I'm sure once the stadium is up and running we will have a stop that takes you from the Metro to the Stadium. This would cut the time down to about 10-12 mins at most.

[Party]

Every station between Northside and Overtown is 'dangerous'.

[McLevin]

Even the Tri-Rail stop is kinda dangerous

I witnessed a stabbing there

Swear on my life

One of the freakiest things I've ever seen

[Big Z]

Yeah, we saw a man walking with a rifle in the middle of the street by the Earlington Heights stop not to long ago, that shit freaked us out.

[Party]

Maybe they can have a train that goes past those stops at 100 MPH and only stops at Culmer. They can call it the Castillo Expresso.

[HUGG]

How about a bunch of those golf carts with the big baseball helmets like they used to have

[Party]

If they are shaped like a basketball more people would use it.

[HUGG]

that's a good point

what if we just renamed the team Miami Heat and put LeBron on all our advertising

[Party]

That's copyright infringement.

Call them the Miami Humidity and put LeBron on all the advertising.
--------------------
Rename the MetroRail the Royal Penis.

[JeffAbaum]

Transportation to the New Marlins Ballpark

I received this e-mail in response to my inquiry:


Thank you for your interest in transit. Like you, Miami-Dade Transit (MDT) is looking forward to the opening of the new Marlins Baseball Stadium in 2012. Currently, we are developing a service plan that will offer the level of service needed to effectively transport fans planning to attend games at the new venue.

MDT has also been working with Tri-Rail to ensure a travel option for Broward and Palm Beach fans. Patrons would utilize Tri-Rail to travel into Miami-Dade County, transfer to the Metrorail, then board a Marlins Shuttle bus that will operate between the Culmer Metrorail station and the ballpark.

The bus shuttle will run for weekday and weekend afternoon games until approximately 5:00 p.m. Service is planned for weekday and Saturday evening games until approximately 11 p.m., with extended rail service to approximately 12:15 a.m. on evening game days. Tri-Rail plans to have a stand-by train waiting to accommodate passengers when games run late. MDT and Tri-Rail staffs will maintain active communications on game days to ensure that fans on the last Metrorail train heading north successfully connect with Tri-Rail. Our plans include improved service on other routes that operate in the area to provide service for ballpark employees and other Marlins fans.

Let me assure you that MDT considers the safety and security of our patrons as a top priority. A minimum of one armed security officer is regularly assigned to each rail station and roving uniformed patrols are used to help maintain a visible security presence during all hours of service. Local law enforcement, both uniformed and plain clothes, is also utilized periodically as a further deterrent to any illegal activity.

Additional armed security will be assigned to the Culmer Metrorail station for each of the scheduled 81 Marlins home games. Security at and around the stadium will be handled by the City of Miami and Miami-Dade Police Departments.

While regular bus service is available to Sun Life Stadium, the special Marlins Shuttle is being developed to enhance the ease in which baseball fans can use public transit to travel to games at the new stadium. The Florida Marlins have made a commitment to promote public transportation as a viable travel option. As our service plans are finalized and we draw closer to the opening of the new stadium, additional information will become available to fans.

Thank you again for your interest in transit.


Harpal S. Kapoor
Director
Miami-Dade Transit
701 NW 1st Court, 17th Floor
Miami, Florida 33136
786-469-5406