The University of Miami has reduced vehicle traffic along the northern edge of its Coral Gables campus by an average of 37 percent over the last 25 years. The reduction was accomplished by encouraging students, faculty, and staff to walk, bike, or take mass transit, and by instituting policy and innovative parking strategies.
“Through the various mobility programs implemented at UM over the last decade, university officials have removed almost 400 vehicles that once clogged the academic core of the campus,” said Janet Gavarrete, associate vice president for Campus Planning and Development.
To achieve the reduction, the University adopted a number of programs and strategies aimed at reducing single-occupant vehicle trips and maximizing efficiency for moving to, from, within, and around the Coral Gables campus. Among them were:
- Subsidizing the cost to employees of taking mass transit
- Expanding the Hurry ’Cane Shuttle, which transports about 700,000 riders per year
- Establishing UBike, which enables cyclists to more easily ride to and traverse campus
- Assigning parking lots based upon capacity, which has transformed traffic flow
- Providing more housing, programs, activities, and dining option on campus, providing fewer reasons to leave
- Reducing the speed limit on campus to 15 mph and building several roundabouts at strategic locations off campus to calm traffic and speeding
The University of Miami’s continuous transportation efforts mirror recommendations by both national and local experts who encourage promoting alternatives to vehicle use.
“These initiatives taken together have resulted in a 37 percent average reduction in peak traffic volumes near the residential areas of the campus,” said Joe Natoli, the university’s senior vice president for business and finance and chief financial officer.
To learn more, view the Mobility Plan. To learn more about how you can mitigate traffic and help the environment, view UM’s transportation options.
