Bicentennial Park (Metromover station)
Encyclopedia
Bicentennial Park is an unused Metromover Station located on the southeast corner of Biscayne Boulevard and I-395 in Miami, Florida
. Miami-Dade Transit has applied for, and has been granted Federal funding to modernize and eventually reopen the station as "Museum Park Station". The area surrounding the station will eventually be home to newly built Miami Science Museum and the Museum of Natural History. Museum Park Station.
The station occupies the northwest corner of Bicentennial Park between A1A and Biscayne Blvd. The station is along the Metromover's Omni Loop and is in between Omni and Eleventh Street stations. The station opened on May 26, 1994 when the Mover's Omni and Brickell extensions were inaugurated.
The station was beautifully designed with long winding walk paths on the ground level. However the station was underused and subsequently fell prone to chronic vandalism by people who would steal, among other things, the metal edges of the concrete steps that lead to the platform. The Metro-Dade Transit Agency kept replacing the stolen fixtures only for them to be swiped again. With the station being used very little, if at all, (except during the Grand Prix of Miami
) MDTA elected to close it effective October 28, 1996.
After the station's closing, the elevator was removed and the shaft closed, and the escalator's steps were removed and the rest of the unit encased in wood. The station's digital "NEXT TRAIN" platform sign was turned off, and the illuminated information sign below it detailing local landmarks and the stations that serve them was covered up with 2 outdated fiberglass signs from First Street and College/Bayside stations. All trains run through the station without stopping.
The station's informational signage on the lower level is still there, however, and stands as a curious throwback to 1996. It refers to "Metro-Dade Transit" (Now Miami-Dade Transit
), and lists the Metromover fare as being 25 cents (Metromover became a free system
in November 2002). It also lists bus and Metrorail fare as being $1.25 (it was raised to $2 in 2008). It also lists the Transit Agency's customer service number as simply 638-6700, which changed to 305-770-3131 in July 1998, about the same time that Southern Bell (now AT&T
) began requiring 10-digit dialing in the Miami area.
The station serves as an active sub-station for track power, and is visited by technicians working on the station's breakers or other equipment. There is also a track crossover just west of the station, consisting of two switches that are inspected regularly.
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
. Miami-Dade Transit has applied for, and has been granted Federal funding to modernize and eventually reopen the station as "Museum Park Station". The area surrounding the station will eventually be home to newly built Miami Science Museum and the Museum of Natural History. Museum Park Station.
The station occupies the northwest corner of Bicentennial Park between A1A and Biscayne Blvd. The station is along the Metromover's Omni Loop and is in between Omni and Eleventh Street stations. The station opened on May 26, 1994 when the Mover's Omni and Brickell extensions were inaugurated.
The station was beautifully designed with long winding walk paths on the ground level. However the station was underused and subsequently fell prone to chronic vandalism by people who would steal, among other things, the metal edges of the concrete steps that lead to the platform. The Metro-Dade Transit Agency kept replacing the stolen fixtures only for them to be swiped again. With the station being used very little, if at all, (except during the Grand Prix of Miami
Grand Prix of Miami
Grand Prix of Miami may refer to several auto races in the Miami-South Florida metropolitan area:*Grand Prix of Miami *Miami Indy Challenge *Firestone Indy 300...
) MDTA elected to close it effective October 28, 1996.
After the station's closing, the elevator was removed and the shaft closed, and the escalator's steps were removed and the rest of the unit encased in wood. The station's digital "NEXT TRAIN" platform sign was turned off, and the illuminated information sign below it detailing local landmarks and the stations that serve them was covered up with 2 outdated fiberglass signs from First Street and College/Bayside stations. All trains run through the station without stopping.
The station's informational signage on the lower level is still there, however, and stands as a curious throwback to 1996. It refers to "Metro-Dade Transit" (Now Miami-Dade Transit
Miami-Dade Transit
Miami-Dade Transit is the primary public transit authority of Miami, Florida, United States and the greater Miami-Dade County area. It is the largest transit system in Florida and the 12th-largest transit system in the United States....
), and lists the Metromover fare as being 25 cents (Metromover became a free system
Free system
A material system which is subject to no other than internal and normal connections is called a free system....
in November 2002). It also lists bus and Metrorail fare as being $1.25 (it was raised to $2 in 2008). It also lists the Transit Agency's customer service number as simply 638-6700, which changed to 305-770-3131 in July 1998, about the same time that Southern Bell (now AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
) began requiring 10-digit dialing in the Miami area.
The station serves as an active sub-station for track power, and is visited by technicians working on the station's breakers or other equipment. There is also a track crossover just west of the station, consisting of two switches that are inspected regularly.