What about traffic?

I'm very surprised the no one brought up traffic issues with the new Harbour waterfront project. When Mercy Hospital makes a peep about building something, that is the first issue to come up. Even when The Cloisters neighbors wanted to put in a traffic light, that was the issue, backed up traffic. But with the new waterfront project, which is hoping to bring in thousands of people a day, no one brings up traffic.

We are told that South Bayshore will be widened by a lane and of course SW 27 Avenue is being renovated, but SW 27 is done already in that area and it's a bottle neck into the waterfront area.

Coconut Grove will never be the same once this huge project is complete. The goal should be to keep the current traffic that Scotty's and the other businesses bring to the area now. That does not cause traffic tie-ups and traffic actually flows now.

Another concern is the Center Grove. Why aren't the merchants concerned? As I stated before, some are not even aware of what is going on, but I am going to walk around and take a survey as to their feelings. None will want to speak on the record, but I can gauge a consensus as to whether they feel their businesses will be affected.

I can see it now, the big red buses will stop right at the new chrome and glass structure on the water, by passing the Center Grove, and even if they stop in the Center Grove, who will get off the bus as all the tourists will have already departed on the waterfront.

Will people go to The Harbour and then venture in the Center Grove? For years we have been trying to get all the regatta people to do that. There are dozens of boaters who come into town for regattas for six months a year, most stay on the waterfront and don't venture into the Center Grove. A few years ago, Sail the Grove, a group created to get the regatta visitors to the Center Grove tried everything to get the sailors into the Center Grove. Only a handful came to visit. So what makes us believe that people will drive to The Harbour, have lunch, shop around and they say, let's check out the other part of the Grove. I don't see it.

I do see lots of traffic. Lots. Since the project is in the same line as Mercy Hospital and The Cloisters, it will be a mess. And all you who live along SW 27 Avenue and Bird Avenue, get ready for traffic on your streets. Lots of it.