As Heat fans get ready to cheer on the newly crowned NBA Champs in Miami Monday, the city, too, is gearing up for the large crowds expected for the parade.
The 20-block parade is set to begin Monday at 11 a.m. and last about 90 minutes, according to city officials.
The parade will start at the corner of SW 8th Street and 2nd Avenue, head east on 8th Street and then north on Brickell Avenue. It will proceed across the bridge and north on Biscayne Boulevard and end at AmericanAirlines Arena, officials said.
Miami-Dade Transit is prepping for the day, bulking up services on the Metrorail and Metromover.
According to a release, Metrorail trains will run every 15 minutes and be supplemented with additional trains to ease travel to the parade.
Officials said there will also be more frequent service on the Metromover with two-car trains.
In certain key stations, “express lanes” will be set up where travelers can drop $2 in a cash box for a one-way trip instead of having to use a ticket, a release said. Those who pay in the express lanes will be able to exit at Brickell, 8th Street, 5th Street, Bayfront Park and Bayside to reach the parade. Express lanes will be set up at the Dadeland stations, Hialeah, Okeechobee and South Miami. For more information visit: www.miamidade.gov/transit.
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Broward County Transit will run the 595 Express Miami/Brickell bus from Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise to take people to Brickell Plaza. The bus will leave at 7:10 a.m. and 7:40 a.m. The return bus will leave Brickell Metrorail Station every 30 minutes beginning at 3:35 p.m. until 6:05 p.m. For more information visit: broward.org/bct.
Parade-goers are encouraged to bring exact cash as no change will be provided.
SW 8th Street will be closed to motorists beginning at 10:30 a.m. and will reopen once the last of the parade passes, officials said.
City officials said that despite the win being Thursday night, the parade was pushed back to Monday to give the city more time to prepare.
"It's a pretty intense process," said City manager Johnny Martinez, pointing out the Heat organization is picking up the tab for the celebration.
He said 160 officers will be called to secure the streets just for the parade.
Martinez said waiting until Monday will also benefit fans who won’t "have to make a special trip downtown” since many will already be at work there.
Business owners are also getting ready for the celebrations and hope the crowds will bring good cash, too.
"Of course it's gonna boost our business," said nail tech Starr Morrison who gives pedicures at the new Marco Aldany salon on Biscayne Boulevard.. "If people just stop by to find out information,” she said.
