The public safety crisis impacting pedestrians in greater Miami shows no signs of relenting, with pedestrians severely injured in two separate crashes within miles of each other over the past 4 days.
WPLG reports that on Monday, a pedestrian was struck and seriously injured in the aftermath of 3-car collision in Coral Gables. The victim was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital. Further details are unavailable but we will continue to follow any developments.
Aftermath of the crash on Bird Road. Photo by WPLG.
The crash sounds eerily similar to a previous tragedy in Coral Gables at almost the same location last June. Olatz Conde Salcedo, who was head of human resources for Nextel in Bilbao, Spain, was struck and killed by a vehicle that went off the road following a collision at LeJeune and Bird road. 3 other pedestrians were also injured in that wreck.
On Friday morning, WSVN reports a University of Miami student was hit while crossing South Dixie Highway along Southwest 57th Avenue. The motorist did not stop and authorities are searching for a silver-gray Mercedes Benz E-320.
Here are some other headlines from our broken streets in south Florida last week:
May 1 – Lake worth man who died after his bike, SUV collided in Palm Springs identified
April 30 – Officer injured after being struck by taxi in Miami Shores
April 29 – Pedestrian badly injured in Ft. Lauderdale hit and run
April 29 – Two pedestrians struck, one killed, crossing State Road 7 in Broward County
April 29 – 18 vehicle collisions on Miami highways before noon on Sunday
April 27 – Davie police chief to take driving class after colliding with teen on bicycle
Enough is enough! Feel the same way? Check out Safe Streets Miami and get involved to help end the public safety crisis.
Transit Miami Films took a field trip to Brickell Avenue and Southwest 8th Street in Miami last week to have a look at the busy pedestrian conditions during an average workday.
Following our last film, 9 Minutes of Mayhem, a Transit Miami reader gave us the heads up on this brutal crossing in the heart of Miami’s business district.
It is quite something to see well-off professionals in Brickell treated with such indignity simply trying to cross a street. For a successful urban environment, walking needs to be the most attractive option – not the least.
Turn up your speakers and enjoy!
Is Miami a city of traffic corridors and highways or is it a city for people? At the latest FDOT public meeting, the message from the Florida Department of Transportation is clear: Miami is for cars. Everything and everyone else comes 2nd.
Last night, FDOT held a public meeting to review the details of a re-surfacing project for Coral Way, from SW 37th Avenue to SW 13th Avenue, scheduled to begin in March 2013. Unfortunately, not much is being done to improve pedestrian conditions on Coral Way in spite of the booming pedestrian life visible every day. While the road will get silky new pavement, some wider sidewalks, a few brighter colored signs and ‘sharrows’, overall Coral Way will remain the same traffic sewer that it is today. Apparently, the status quo of Coral Way is all roses to the FDOT.
Except it’s not.
One thing that has always struck me about Coral Way is how difficult it is to cross it as a pedestrian. The traffic lights are so spread out that they may as well be located in separate zip codes. The design of Coral Way is one that divides people and business, rather than connects them. The traffic zooms from signal to signal in a speed’n-stop fashion reminiscent of a video game. The restaurants, the shops, the homes and the residents – are all separated by an impenetrable barrier of vehicles and plantings. Go to any part of Coral Way between Douglas and 12 Ave and you will see plenty of pedestrians trying to cross wherever they can. The road is the antithesis of walkable – by design. It is a roadway that’s patently ill-suited for an urban environment – and FDOT wants to keep it that way.
Crossing Coral Way in a wheelchair
The planted medians seldom have a mid-block crossing. Have you ever traversed a field of geraniums in a wheelchair? FDOT doesn’t really care.
The speed limit will remain a deadly 40 mph. Have you ever tried parallel parking with someone in an Escalade bearing down on you at 45mph? You’ll still have the chance the way FDOT is designing this road!
This project makes virtually no improvements to the comically tragic pedestrian experience of Coral Way, save for a few sections of wider crosswalks. The FDOT’s argument is that their own guidelines do not allow them to make additional safety accommodations, like signalized crosswalks, raised crosswalks, or anything else. Mind you, it’s those very same arcane guidelines that are the root cause of why Florida consistently holds the dubious distinction as the #1 deadliest state for pedestrians in the nation. Such improvements would also make notoriously dangerous Coral Way safer for motorists as well.
But things really hit home when I left the meeting at 2055 Coral Way and walked outside. I was with my bicycle and needed to cross the street. Look right: a traffic signaled crosswalk in the distance. (I measured it online – .25 miles. That would make it .5 miles total just to cross the street legally and safely) Look left: just a headlight-filled abyss. No crosswalk in sight. Someone from the FDOT had to explain this for me, so I went back inside.
I asked two of the project managers to come outside with me to experience first hand just how ridiculously divisive the configuration of this street is. I asked them, “where do I cross?” They pointed to the traffic light a quarter mile away. They simply don’t give a shit. Is that a realistic expectation? What ensued was classic traffic engineer speak. “A study didn’t show the number of pedestrians required to warrant more improvements,” I was told.
That’s because the pedestrian experience is so hostile and uninviting to begin with, rational people will avoid it if possible. “Studies” do not calculate human decision-making. It almost seemed as if I was actually speaking with a car, because the only responses were about accommodating the needs of motorists. In their eyes, I was the first person to ever walk out of that church and have to walk to the other side.
The FDOT representatives said that the speed limit can not be lowered, one reason being some of these drivers are going from Brickell to West Kendall and they need to be accommodated also. So there we have it folks. Creating the walkable conditions for businesses to succeed and all road users to be safe are not in the vocabularies of the FDOT. Coral Way is a road designed to whisk private automobiles as fast as possible through Miami. Everyone else be dammed. The ‘social world’ is of no importance. The ‘traffic world’ is the priority. Everything else is an obstacle to moving cars quickly. The ‘guidelines’ protect them. It’s perfectly acceptable to the FDOT to force a person, a mother with a stroller or a person in a wheelchair, to go .5 miles to legally cross a street.
Appropriate transportation hierarchy in an urban context.
It’s long-passed due that the FDOT revise their outdated guidelines with their own children and grandparents in mind. If their standards aren’t safe and effective for a 10 year old or a senior citizen, then they are failing. The proposed re-paving project of Coral Way is another missed opportunity for Miami to become an actual city instead of a collection of traffic corridors.
Yesterday morning the construction zone at the intersection of SE 13th Street and Brickell Avenue was a pedestrian’s nightmare. Pedestrians can’t see the crossing signal therefore they don’t know when they should cross. Once they do cross they are forced out of the crosswalk, around the construction zone and into traffic coming from three different directions. Really? This is the best we can do?
Click to enlarge: SE 13th Street and Brickell Avenue
Please send an email to Commissioner Mark Sarnoff and the FDOT district 6 Secretary Gus Pego and ask them and their families to join Transit Miami for lunch on Brickell Avenue. We will be happy to walk them through the pedestrian experience of the area. Lunch is on us.
The FDOT is in the midst of making improvements to the sidewalk on the SW corner of Brickell and SE 13th Street. This intersection is dangerous enough for pedestrians when it’s not under construction, but today the FDOT tried their hardest to make it as difficult as possible for those that walk on Brickell to cross the street safely. Not only did they simply close the sidewalk to pedestrians, the actually had the audacity to put up a “sidewalk closed, cross here” sign where there isn’t a crosswalk!
Cross Here? But there is no crosswalk...
The closest crosswalk on the north-west side of this intersection is three blocks away on SE 10th Street. Pedestrians should not have to walk 6 blocks in the hot, blistering sun just to get to the other side of the street. This is an embarrassment. There was no thought given to the needs of pedestrians during the planning stages of the project. None whatsoever.
The relentless siege on pedestrians and cyclists rages on in South Florida. In June alone, local media outlets reported on an embarrassing number of tragic accidents in the greater Miami-Ft. Lauderdale-Pompano area. While the recent Miami Bicycle Summit touted many plans and accomplishments in bicycle infrastructure, the troubling frequency of high-profile accidents involving pedestrians and cyclists requires a more aggressive response from local agencies and leaders. Below is a summary of some recent accidents. (The dates correspond to the date of the coverage, not the actual accident.)
Is this a more appropriate warning for pedestrians and cyclists in South Florida?
June 14th, Ft. Lauderdale
Officials: Pickup Truck Hits Woman, Baby
A mother and her baby, who was in a stroller, were taken to the hospital after being struck by a pickup truck in Ft. Lauderdale.
June 13th, Lake Worth
Man Riding Bike Hospitalized After Being Hit By Tractor Trailer in Lake Worth
In what appears to be a classic ‘right-hook’ accident, a bicyclist is in critical condition after being struck by a tractor-trailer. No word on any charges facing the driver.
June 10th, Miami
In this horrific accident, the innocent victim, who was on the sidewalk, was actually severed in two by a vehicle after it collided with another vehicle at an intersection in Miami.
June 7th , Hollywood
Dania Beach Man Questioned In Deadly Hollywood Hit-and-Run
On May 13th, Wilmar Galeano was riding his bicycle on the Sheridan Street Bridge, when he was struck from behind and killed by a speeding white van. The accident was caught on video, but the driver fled and the accident is still under investigation.
June 6th, Ft. Lauderdale
Police ID Man Struck by Car, Killed in Ft. Lauderdale
Jamie Valderrama of Miami Beach tried to leave the scene after striking and killing a pedestrian, Juan Herrera, with his Lexus. Charges against Valderrama are pending.
June 6, Lauderdale Lakes
Bicyclist Hospitalized After Collision With Car
June 2nd, Coral Gables
Pedestrian Dies After Being Struck At Gables Intersection
In this tragic accident, 4 pedestrians were struck when two cars collided in an intersection and careened into the sidewalk. One of the pedestrian victims, Olatz Conde Salcedo, who was head of human resources for Nextel in Bilbao, Spain, later died from injuries suffered in the accident.
Has South Florida actually become more dangerous for pedestrians? A recent Transportation For America Study showed Miami-Ft. Lauderdale to be the 4th most dangerous region in the USA for pedestrians. Is South Florida about to climb in this dubious list? Where is the vocal leadership on this most basic of issues that deteriorates our quality of life and the viability of our cities? How can a city thrive when it’s dangerous to simply cross the street or walk the sidewalks?
Of course, if you have money, you can drive recklessly and kill with impunity in these parts. Need proof? Read about the outrageously light sentence recently handed to Ryan LeVin who murdered two pedestrians in Ft. Lauderdale in 2009.
When are our public agencies and elected officials going to take pedestrians seriously? Streets are for people – not just cars.
FDOT District 6 Secretary Gus Pego
Transit Miami friend, Craig Chester, sent the below letter to Gus Pego, the FDOT District 6 Secretary. We’ll keep you posted if Mr. Pego replies.
Dear Mr. Pego,
Sadly, it was another bloody week for cyclists in Miami. With numerous accidents around the city, especially in FDOT controlled areas including the MacArthur Causeway (where a cyclist was killed) and Brickell Avenue, our streets are as dangerous as ever for those choosing to walk or ride a bicycle. Miami is ranked the 3rd most dangerous city in the USA for cyclists and pedestrians. The #1 and #2 spots also go to Florida cities, Orlando and Tampa respectively. An embarrassment for the FDOT to be sure. As gas prices soar and more people choose alternative means of transportation to polluting and expensive gas-powered vehicles, the FDOT needs to stop flying into the headwind of reality, acknowledge the carnage on our streets and begin taking real, actionable steps to protect everyone and promote complete streets. The FDOT is embarrassingly behind many states in taking measures to protect cyclists and pedestrians. It’s time for your organization to show us real results before another cyclist is injured or killed.
Mr. Pego, would you want your wife or daughter navigating the treacherous design of Brickell Avenue on a bicycle? Or with a stroller? The obvious answer is no. Why should we tolerate it any longer?
There are discussions amongst the Brickell and cyclist communities to demonstrate and shut down the disastrous projects on Biscayne and Brickell Avenues for a day to draw attention to the negligence the FDOT is demonstrating in our city. It’s your responsibility to reach out to us and explain why we should not.
Please visit TransitMiami.com for a full report on all the incidents from this past week. An open letter to TransitMiami.com from you would be wise.
Regards,
Craig Chester
Miami, FL
We think Mr. Pego owes District 6 residents a reply. We won’t accept a fluff response either.
Another day, another pedestrian struck and killed by an oncoming vehicle. At this rate, we shouldn’t worry about advocating for safer streets because nobody in their right mind will ever risk their lives walking or cycling. The Miami Herald reports that a man was struck and killed attempting to cross Federal Highway in Dania Beach on Saturday night. While this story is clearly tragic – I would like to use the Herald’s article to shed some light on some blatant media bias against non-motorized modes of transportation. Our friends at streetsblog first turned me onto the concept back in February. Let’s have a look.
The article opens up with this statement (yes, I copied it verbatim. The missing word and lack of punctuation are part of the Herald’s new Mad Libs reporting strategy):
A man who tried to cross South Federal Highway and apparently stepped into the path of an oncoming ______ was killed in Dania Beach Saturday night
Let’s assume this poor fellow wasn’t struck by an oncoming dolphin but rather a Buick Lacrosse. Notice, the man tried to cross the street – well, yes, clearly he didn’t make it – but the context here is clearly belittling.
Kaufman stopped and waited at the scene for police to arrive. Broward police said in a release the 79-year-old driver did not appear impaired and had not been speeding.
Oh, he wasn’t speeding or impaired? What a relief. We’ll just scrape this guy off your hood and you’ll be running along in no time.
It is not clear why the man — who had just bought a Subway sandwich and a copy of the New York Post — tried to cross the highway amid traffic.
No, It isn’t clear why anyone would want to try (there it is again, did you catch it?) to cross a street. What a ludicrous concept. After all with a name like Federal Highway, one would think this guy was on a suicidal mission to cross an interstate rather than a modest 4 lane commercial roadway (arterial) which bisects a residential community (please note the elementary school located just 1 block south of Subway).
Perhaps I’m reading into the language here too much or maybe I’m just appalled by the number of pedestrians who die in South Florida every year at the expense of motorists. Articles like these perpetuate the belief that non-motorized modes of transportation are secondary to vehicles. Maybe he was crossing dangerously. Maybe he did take his life into his own hands and exercised bad judgement. But the real point here is that another life was lost and with it went a great opportunity to make a broader appeal for safer streets.
Brickell Avenue and 8th Street. A dangerous intersection for pedestrians.
A friend of Transit Miami sent us this picture, which was taken shortly after a pedestrian was hit on Monday night at the Brickell Avenue and 8th Street intersection. We don’t have any details about the accident-but this much we do know-this intersection is not pedestrian-friendly.
Pedestrians must sprint across 5 lanes of traffic to get across Brickell Avenue at this intersection. Crosswalks exist on only three sides of this intersection. So, if you’re standing on the NE or NW corner of the 8th and Brickell Avenue and you want to simply get across the street, you must cross the street 3 times before getting to your destination.
We’re still waiting to hear about the other improvements that were promised to the Brickell community by the FDOT, Commissioner Sarnoff, Mayor Regalado, and County Commissioner Gimenez at a recent Brickell Avenue press conference. These improvements should be announced to the public sooner than later. We here at Transit Miami still contend that the speed limit and the design speed of Brickell Avenue should not exceed 30mph. We won’t be satisfied until this concession is made by the FDOT. As the population density on Brickell Avenue continues to increase, pedestrians will suffer if the FDOT’s archaic roadway design remains unchanged.
If anyone has any details about this accident, please let us know.
A couple of days ago I wrote about the fact that for 33 days the FDOT ignored all the broken pedestrians crosswalk signals which they accidently disabled while performing work at the Brickell Avenue and SE 13th Street intersection. Yesterday Transit Miami reader Craig brought yet another FDOT induced pedestrian hazard to our attention:
I was just walking on Brickell and with the recent construction, another crosswalk has been closed. There is now no actual, legitimate crossing from 8th street all the way to 13th street. An area so far you could actually take a bus from one stop to another and not pass a crosswalk.
Watching people cross with strollers is especially scary. The green turn arrows are like invitations to speed through a crosswalk. SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET KILLED.”
Sidewalk Closed? Where and how does the FDOT expect pedestrians to cross Brickell Avenue?
It is evident that FDOT did not consider the needs of pedestrians during the planning phase of this resurfacing project. They have closed the 10th Street crosswalk to pedestrians and have not provided a detour or temporary crosswalk for pedestrians to cross Brickell Avenue safely. Cars are still allowed to cross Brickell Avenue at 10th street, but people aren’t.
The 8th Street and 13th Street crosswalks are about 3/10 a mile apart. Does the FDOT actually expect people to walk a ¼ mile just to get to the other side of the street? A 1/4 mile is an unrealistic distance to expect people to walk just to cross the street. It’s either wishful thinking on their part or they just don’t give a crap. After observing all of the FDOT’s pedestrian shenanigans this past month, I’m more inclined to think they don’t care about the welfare of pedestrians.
Looks like pedestrians will continue to cross at 10th Street, but they are now forced to cross in a precarious environment.
If these pedestrian reindeer games continue for the next 12 months during this resurfacing project, someone will end up seriously injured or dead. It’s really just a matter of time. Very sad.
Note to the FDOT: You are not in the suburbs; you are in an urban environment with a very high population density. You must be sensitive to the needs of pedestrians, not just cars.
Forgive the poorly written headline but, an elderly man is in critical condition after a Miami driver tried to pass a stopped bus – on the right and over the sidewalk – hitting the waiting pedestrian and then fleeing the scene.
Photo NBCMiami - the driver abandoned his SUV
The cult of speed and the lack of traffic law enforcement in Miami is killing our residents. 4 in 10 fatal traffic accidents kill people who are walking or bicycling in Miami-Dade County, making ours one of the most dangerous cities in the country for active transportation users. VIDEO from the bus camera is shocking and clearly shows the man about to board the bus, the bus doors opening, the SUV blindsiding him and then the driver running away.
TransitMiami.com has reported dozens of crashes and collisions with pedestrians and bus shelters in the last year (here’s one last month). This will only stop with better road design, increased law enforcement and aggressive efforts to curb unsafe driving behavior in Miami.
Police and policymakers, what are you waiting for? How many people have to be killed or maimed on city sidewalks before you start prioritizing pedestrian safety?
We warn you, the video is stomach churning.
This past July, we celebrated the 20 year anniversary of the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) which among other things prohibited discrimination on the basis of disability. A major component of the ADA mandated paratransit service to help mobility-impaired and disabled Americans get from one place to another. The ADA act is focused on inclusion – adopting standard practices in urban design that make our buildings, streets, and transit more universally designed to accommodate all. A component of the ADA act requires sidewalks to be at least 3 feet wide to accommodate wheelchairs.
Naturally, I was shocked when I came across the following site a few weeks ago when I was near Merrick Park in Coral Gables.
This is the site of a recent FDOT project aimed at resurfacing Bird Road from 57th Avenue to 38th Avenue. In this image I’m standing at the Southeast corner of Ponce De Leon and Bird Road, looking north. I didn’t have the time to measure the distance between the curb and the concrete electric pole, but in person the distance certainly appeared to be less than 3 feet wide. Here is how the FDOT describes this improvement:
This project is repaving and restriping the roadway. Work also includes widening the bridge and road shoulder; building a new sidewalk on the north side of Bird Road; upgrading sidewalks and curb ramps; installing drainage materials to alleviate water build-up in the swale area; performing root pruning and trimming; removing landscaping; upgrading the lighting and installing new traffic and pedestrian signs and signals; removing existing guardrail and installing new guardrail at various locations and installing a pedestrian bridge.
Miami’s walkability level, already fairly dismal because of our autocentric growth, only deteriorates further when we litter and obstruct sidewalks with other urban clutter. Electric poles, bus stops, lights, trees, benches, and trash receptacles all have a place and a role in our urban environments; sidewalks shouldn’t sacrifice their limited alloted space within the right-of-ways to accommodate these fixtures.
We’re going to reach out to our friends at FDOT and the City of Coral Gables to see what can be done to enhance the pedestrian realm rather than simply “beautifying” and accentuating existing barriers. And, while its probably too late to have any significant impact on this project as it was slated for completion in October 2010 – we hope we can help affect change on any future improvements to the pedestrian environment throughout South Florida.
I’m not sure if they are hiring, but…
As many of our readers know, Brickell Avenue is due for some major work. FDOT will begin a drainage and resurfacing project in early 2011. This long overdue project is finally coming to fruition, however, the only improvements FDOT is considering for this project is the resurfacing and drainage upgrade. This would be a perfect opportunity for FDOT to consider reducing the high speed limit, adding crosswalks and including bicycle sharrows. Unfortunately, FDOT does not believe any of these upgrades are necessary.
We here at Transit Miami caught wind of this upcoming project and have been busy building a coalition of residents, businesses, and other organizations to reduce the speed limit on Brickell Avenue. A few weeks ago we met with Commissioner Sarnoff and Mayor Regalado. We are happy to report that both the Mayor and the Commissioner support a reduced speed limit. Unfortunately, they both informed us that there is not much they can do since Brickell Avenue is a state road; therefore the city of Miami has no jurisdiction over it.
Both Commissioner Sarnoff and Mayor Regalado suggested we speak to Representative Luis Garcia. So we went ahead and did so. Representative Garcia told us that he would do everything in his power to generate a response from FDOT. (Mr. Gus Pego, FDOT District 6 secretary, received our letter almost a month and a half ago but has not responded). Representative Garcia also suggested that we meet with Mayor Regalado and Commissioner Sarnoff about this issue. We kindly informed Representative Garcia that the reason we were meeting with him was because Mayor Regaldo and Commissioner Sarnoff asked us to do so.
We have reached out to all the stakeholders on Brickell Avenue and all agree with us that speeding is an issue on Brickell. We cannot get FDOT to respond to any of our emails. Last week, FDOT made this illogical PowerPoint presentation to the Brickell Homeowners Association. They essentially put the blame on the pedestrian for jaywalking. It doesn’t matter that crosswalks are few and far in between. During this presentation they explicitly stated they would not reduce the speed limit, add crosswalks or include sharrows within the scope if this project.
The following organizations support a lower speed limit and a more pedestrian-friendly environment on Brickell Avenue:
Brickell Homeowners Association
Miami Bicycle Action Committee
Last night about 70 Belle Meade residents showed up at Legion Park to hear the details about a proposal to fence off all access to Belle Meade on NE 6th Court. Currently, pedestrians and bicyclists can enter and exit Belle Meade through NE 72nd Terrace and NE 72nd -77th Streets. Motor vehicles can only access Belle Meade via NE 76th Street.
The majority of the residents voted for the complete fencing off of all entrances on NE 6th Court. There were about 6-7 residents, including myself, that were willing to find some common ground and voted for an amendment that included fencing, however the fencing would have unlocked gates to allow for public access. The total cost of this project was about $15,000 and the initial burden of this cost, as well as maintenance of the 6 ft fence, would fall on the homeowners. Public access on these streets would effectively cease to exist, but the City of Miami would continue to provide all public services to the community (Fire, Police, Public Works, etc.). Belle Meade would not become a private community.
Although most of those present at the meeting support fencing, a majority of Belle Meade homeowners is still required to sign a petition in support of fencing for it to become a reality. Once the petition is signed by 60%-70% of the homeowners in favor of fencing it will be presented to the city of Miami Commissioners for a vote and final approval.
Commissioner Sarnoff was present at the meeting as well. After listening to the homeowners he told the audience that if he lived in the community he too would want to fence off NE 6th Court. He then proceeded to show support by offering to pay for the new fencing with our tax dollars. Additional police patrols, an effective deterrent against crime, was not really discussed.
The Miami Police Department Commander for the Upper East Side was also present at the meeting. He told the residents that he believed fencing would help to deter crime in the area, but acknowledged it would not eliminate crime all together. He also pointed out that the area had seen a reduction of crime year-over-year.
Although I do respect the Commander’s comments, everything I have researched has shown that gated communities are not safer than non-gated communities. In other words, defensive planning does not work. Communities that have transitioned from non-gated to gated initially show a drop in crime, however after about a year, crime levels return to pre-gating levels. Below is an excerpt from research that was conducted in Miami:
The city of Miami reports that “some forms of crime such as car theft are reduced, at least immediately after the streets are closed. However, data indicates that the long-term crime rate is at best only marginally altered” (Blakely, 1995, p. 1).
You can read more about the research that Blakely conducted here.
You can also read this article from the well respected Next American City that discusses the social implications of gated communities on the surrounding neighborhoods. This article goes on to say:
In truth, there is no evidence that homes in gated communities maintain their value better than those in non-gated ones. Nor is there evidence that gated communities are safer.”
One of the best forms of policing is self-policing by residents. Erecting a fence will destroy the walkability of our community, thus decreasing self-policing by residents. Walking an extra half mile to get to Jimmy’s or another nearby establishment is easier said than done. The elderly, persons with disabilities, our housekeepers, and parents with strollers will all suffer if a fence is erected. So will the businesses on Biscayne Boulevard.
The MiMo Business Improvement District should not support the fencing of Belle Meade. Businesses within the MiMo district will be harmed by the lack of pedestrian accessibility from Belle Meade. Walking an extra ½ mile for some residents will become a deterrent to engage with businesses on Biscayne Boulevard. Once potential MiMo customers from Belle Meade are in their cars, they can easily choose to shop or eat at a non-MiMo establishment which is more accessible by car and has parking easily available.
I am a new resident and want to make Belle Meade as safe as possible. I respect the opinions and views of my neighbors and share the same safety concerns as all of them. Even with the guard gate on 76th street, defensive planning has already proved to be ineffective. More defensive planning will most likely show the same results. A majority will decide how Belle Meade proceeds and my hope is that together we can find a solution that may actually deter crime.
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- Cyclists ride in Rocafort's memory May 7, 2012Hundreds of cyclists turned out on Sunday to honor cyclist Miguel Rocafort and appeal for the driver who struck him down on March 31 to surrender to police. "We'd like to encourage the guy who hit Miguel to turn himself in," said Eli Stiers, chairman of SafeStreetsMiami, a traffic safety campaign of Green Mobility Network. "It […]
- Ride for Miguel on May 6 April 26, 2012As you probably heard, our memorial ride for Miguel Angel Rocafort was postponed because of Sunday's hard rain Rocafort, of course, was the cyclist who was fatally injured March 31 at SW 137th Avenue and Eureka Drive. The hit-and-run driver who ran him down still hasn't been identified, but there's probably someone out there who knows who it i […]
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