States (the situation is just as bleak for pedestrians). Although bicycling is very popular on the Rickenbacker Causeway, no physical division between the cars and bikes exist. This lack of separation between bikes and cars, excessive speeds and driving under the influence has contributed to at least four fatalities since 2006. This has spurred many cyclists to push for better bike lanes and barriers to protect them from the high-speed traffic on the bridge. Architect, urban planner, and lifelong cyclist Bernard Zyscovich saw an opportunity to promote cycling as a more viable means of transportation in Miami and launched Plan Z for Miami. Plan Z For Miami envisions a separated, partly elevated cycle-track that would connect the mainland to the causeway, bridge replacement and roadway elevation to account for future sea level rise as well as a new 20-acre park on Virginia Key created by shifting the roadway north. This pro bono effort by Zyscovich was in response to the death of Aaron Cohen, one of the four cyclists hit by cars on the Rickenbacker Causeway. It's necessary to clarify that Plan Z isn't just a bike path, although that's perhaps the most striking part of the proposal. As Zyscovich explains, the Rickenbacker Causeway urgently needs structural renovations, including more elevation to help it survive climate change. “There is sea level rise, there is the replacement of the bridge, there is a 20-acre new park,” says the architect. “The bicycle aspect is only one part of the bigger project. But bicycle safety is the basis for beginning to think about it.” The Rickenbacker Causeway and Crandon Boulevard are Miami-Dade's most popular bike routes for avid cyclists. The path would then run along the William Powell Bridge, providing an observation deck for viewing the Miami skyline, then continue on to Virginia Key. Zyscovich's plan also imagines a 20-acre waterfront park and beach at the entrance of Virginia Key, with a branch of paths connecting to Virginia Key Park, before continuing on to Key Biscayne. Zyscovich thinks that Plan Z can kickstart a cultural change in the city. The project could join two other proposed infrastructure projects, a linear park called the Underline and the Ludlam Trail, a rails-to-trail multi-use path. “I think that what we are presenting is a concept large enough to contribute to creating a network,” the architect says. “If we can implement Plan Z, the Underline, and the