Inter Miami pregame traffic a bigger problem for stadium neighbors than fans
The pregame traffic situation before Saturday’s inaugural Inter Miami game at Nu Stadium could’ve been worse.
Unless you live east of the stadium, that is.
North of the stadium, fans pouring from Tri-Rail and Metrorail trains mass marched across Northwest 20th Street, in front of the Sheraton and through the Nu Stadium parking lot, just like fans in cities with proper mass transit. Signs outside the Sheraton told these fans that the hotel restaurant would be open until midnight.
West of the stadium, a slow conga line of cars entered off the LeJeune Road service road, sometimes after making an extra lap around Miami International Airport after missing the right- hand turn.
South of the stadium, clumps of pink-and-black-clad fans and families walked from the hotels and neighborhoods south of State Road 836 along LeJeune Road and Northwest 37th Avenue.
Even north of 836, the Dolphin Expressway, stop-stop-and-roll traffic didn’t extend as far up Northwest 37th Avenue as might’ve been anticipated. But what there was was still too much for residents who didn’t care to offer lawn parking for $40 or $50. Also, the westbound parts of the side streets between Northwest 37th Avenue and Northwest 34th Avenue were blocked by police.
“This was a very quiet neighborhood. Now, look what we have,” said Ivanoa Bofill, gesturing at the traffic from her yard on the corner of Northwest 37th Avenue and 19th Terrace, directly across from the stadium’s 37th Avenue entrance.
Bofill and her husband, Mario Alonso, have lived in the house for 42 years and owned it for 40. The mailbox stand bears the logo of Pan Am, one of the airport employers Alonso had before retiring. They liked having a golf course and restaurant across the street.
Bofill said she had to convince police she lived on Northwest 19th Terrace to get past the westbound traffic blocks. Neither she nor Alonso blamed the working police — they offered water and café Cubano to officers stationed on their corner.
“They told us the stadium was supposed to be closer to LeJeune,” Bofill said. “Look where it is!”
Neighbor Pete Vazquez, whom Bofill and Alonso watched grow up, wondered what happened to the traffic survey predicting how the stadium would affect area congestion.
“A sense of community is being lost,” Vazquez said.
