2021 Safe Streets Awards - Nominees

The Complete Streets Project included a comprehensive redesign of Andrews Avenue to ensure a safer environment for all users and modes. The project featured landscaped and irrigated medians and areas between curb and sidewalk, 4-foot bicycle lanes with continuous green background, pedestrian mid-block crossings, upgraded all existing lighting to led, improved sidewalks, road resurfacing, stamped asphalt crosswalks at park lane and 41st street and removal of utility double poles. The project has been extremely successful and is already transforming the neighborhood into a more walkable, livable place.

The research project focused on the Underline Coconut Grove Station and 10 older adults (60+ years old) who lived 2 miles from the site. Virtual and augmented-reality were utilized to re-image and reconstruct the space based on input from older adults living in the community, in order to assess environmental features for the redesign of a public space. Functional (mobility-related), behavioral and environmental attributes such as physical/visual accessibility and psychophysiological facilitators such as relaxation and motivation were also assessed. Results from this pilot study were recently published in the Journal of Aging Research and are available at https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jar/2020/8341034/.

With the reduction of traffic volumes (by 80%) many residents resorted to walking and bicycling as their primary modes of transportation. The program involved the closure of streets to thru traffic plus streets where signage is strategically posted to reduce traffic volumes and speeds to a minimum so people can walk, bike, and travel car-free safely. With the limited business activity, it was important to improve resident access to local businesses as a way to improve economic resilience.

The program is called, Dining on The Spot: DOTS.  She used the Gehl method of observational research, to do pedestrian counts and classify stationary activity, as well as a new visual playbook that shows the typologies that can be designed by the private sector once the future ordinance changes to sidewalk cafe seating and parklets are adopted these upcoming months. Note that the playbook was created from her original designs with the assistance of Dover Kohl's office to create renderings based on the original drawings.

The project, led by FDOT, Hard Rock Stadium and the City of Miami Gardens, included the construction of two pedestrian bridges and two tunnels that help to improve pedestrian access, enhance public safety while at the same time helping to clear traffic congestion during events at the stadium. The bridges were named after two elected officials in the area, then-mayor Oliver G. Gilbert III and State Senator Oscar Braynon II, because of their service for Northwest Dade.

Circuit, the shuttle operator, worked with The City of Hollywood and the Hollywood CRA to design, promote and manage the Sun-Shuttle - a free, all-electric, on-demand, shuttle service. The group engaged the community initially and throughout the year to double ridership from the previous fixed route trolley service. This boost effectively reduced the Cost Per Rider by over 60%. More rides helped to reduce costs while also promoting mobility, economic activity and engaging the community.

Circuit’s program aligns perfectly with the Safe Streets goals.  By offering a safe, reliable, low-speed, accessible, equitable and affordable transportation option, people are able to move about the community more freely and connect with local businesses and other forms of transportation easily.  Single occupancy vehicles are a problem for cities and the environment, so by offering well-divided, safe, shared rides, Circuit was able to move over 15,000 riders in January.  Safe Streets require multiple modes of flexible transportation and the Sun Shuttle was quickly a part of this mix.

When ridership slowed during the lockdown, Circuit’s team went to work, implementing safety procedures, delivering groceries for Feeding South Florida, working with local restaurants, and contributing to community programs like the MPO’s on the Scavenger Hunt.  Our goal is to promote mobility and reduce congestion and Circuit has provided an accessible option for the entire community to enjoy. This year the teams at the City, CRA and Circuit worked together to make the most out of a difficult situation; helping the community and promoting mobility and Safe Streets initiatives. The drivers have the outcome: More Rides, More Jobs, Lower Costs, Zero Emissions.

This new scramble crosswalk in the heart of Miami’s downtown is a major step forward in making our Vision Zero goal a reality by eliminating traffic-related deaths and injuries, and a model that we will seek to build on countywide.”

The diagonal crosswalk, also known as a scramble crosswalk, is located at the intersection of NE 1st Avenue and NE 2nd Street in downtown near Miami Dade College’s Wolfson Campus and New World School of the Arts. The intersection was selected for this inaugural crosswalk due to its high pedestrian volumes and its proximity to various public transportation options. A scramble crosswalk allows pedestrians to cross the street both perpendicularly and diagonally through the intersection. All vehicles, including right lane turns, are stopped until pedestrians safely cross the street in whichever direction they please. This unique crosswalk design allows for pedestrians to be given the right-of-way at an intersection and helps to enhance foot traffic flow.

The downtown scramble crosswalk – the first of its kind in Miami-Dade County – includes new pavement markings, signage, and pedestrian signal heads. It’s important to note that not all intersections are suited to be converted into scramble crosswalks; therefore, by marking this first diagonal crosswalk the department will be able to analyze and identify which other intersections in the County can be converted to scramble crosswalks.

https://www.miamidade.gov/releases/2020-12-04-dtpw-crosswalk-launch.asp.

First off, every PBL in this plan was important: As a whole, these projects helped to fix some standards issues that were standing in the way of safe protected bike lanes in Miami. Secondly, this particular segment stands as an example that it IS possible, in Miami-Dade County, to repurpose a full lane on a higher-speed arterial road into a basic, curb-protected bike lane with enough space for two riders. These projects are a testament to the commitment and tenacity of the TPO and teams behind their creation.

The project already has had an impact on the corridor with the construction of Warsaw Coffee Company and Mr. B’s Specialties which has already created a new vibe along the street. This proves that a complete streets project not only impacts the streetscape but the overall economy of the corridor that it transforms.

In addition to the new bike lanes, roundabout, and wider sidewalks, the project also incorporated many features for resiliency and public art to create a street unique to this neighborhood.  The project includes bioswales/green infrastructure, permeable brick pavers, and extended medians to capture additional storm waters, reduce flooding/ponding, and create a greater shade canopy for pedestrians and reduce heat island effects.  Public artwork was also integrated into the project through the use of several artistic statues placed within the median and a large “Unity Beacon” within the center of the roundabout.  The Unity Beacon was designed by local artist in coordination with local community members to construct a public art piece made for and by the people of the neighborhood.

NE 13th Street serves as a great example of partnership between local agencies, creative design practices to utilize every inch of public right-of-way to serve people, and community support to implement a project for the people on time within the constraints of time.

The project includes a separated bike lane, first of its kind in Broward County. The innovative design incorporates meandering behind large, shaded trees to maintain the qualities of the corridor and advantages of existing shading.

The project connects existing destinations such as the western corporate park areas in the City of Sunrise and the City of Tamarac; provides direct access to the Hiatus Road C-42 Canal Bike Trail and the Broward County Greenways System, as well as provides residents a safe and fun way to visit three of the most utilized city park facilities (Sunrise Athletic Complex, Welleby Park, and the new 44th Street Passive Park) for picnics, sporting events, and other recreational activities.

The NW 44th Street Bike Lane Project includes the construction of a 2.25-mile long and six-foot wide colored concrete bicycle lane within the existing swale areas, along both sides of NW 44th Street from Pine Island Road (east) to the Sunrise Athletic Complex. Additional landscaping was added in the right-of-way to enhance the streetscape.

Inspired by the Dutch CROW, this project brought an innovative lane-sharing concept to motorists and bicyclists alike. Erdman Anthony worked closely with city staffers and introduced the first Advisory Bike Lane (ABL) to the city’s bicycle infrastructures.

Spruce Avenue serves as frontage to many historic homes, and it provides safe passage to parks, beaches, places of worship, shopping, dining, and an elementary school, all in downtown West Palm Beach. It is a natural place to be part of the City’s bicycle infrastructure which is further connected through 36th Street to North Flagler Drive to the east and Australian Avenue to the west. With so many destinations to visit, the project presented many opportunities to provide a slow, safe route to other city connectors.

Since safety was at the design improvements’ forefront, roundabouts were reconstructed to accommodate pedestrian crosswalks and bicycle and vehicular movements, including emergency response vehicles’ movements. The avenue was ideal for implementing the Advisory Bike Lane concept because of the slow-low volume of traffic, and high community support. The roadway was resurfaced and restriped with a two-way 16-foot travel lane and 5.5-foot shared bike lanes on either side. Sidewalks were replaced with 5-foot concrete sidewalks to facilitate pedestrian mobility. Adding community-minded signage, pavement markings, and ADA-compliant curb ramps helped emphasize these traffic-calming elements. The city has invested in their community in a way that not only benefits users of all ages, abilities, and modes of transportation, but encourages its own interconnectivity to the community’s attractions. All contribute to making the city a terrific place to live, work, and do business.

The project comprises of wider sidewalks, parking on the street, 7' buffered bike lanes on northbound and southbound directions of SR-811/Old Dixie Highway/NE 4th Avenue in Broward, Florida, all crosswalks upgraded to comply with current standards, detectable warning surfaces added to improve accessibility for all users. Lighting upgraded throughout the corridor. Special improvements at High School location, mast arm replaced due to new proposed crosswalk. Ped poles/detectors added at all signalized intersections. Lane reduction, one 11’ travel lane was eliminated in each direction to accommodate bicycle lanes in both directions from SR-838/Sunrise Blvd to NE 26th Street. The new design improves traffic flow, widen pedestrian walkways, second phase followed by the landscape.

He was looking for something big to transform the warehouse district of Wynwood, and he arrived at a simple idea: “Wynwood’s large stock of warehouse buildings, all with no windows, would be my giant canvases to bring to them the greatest street art ever seen in one place.” Starting with the 25th–26th Street complex of six separate buildings, his goal was to create a center where people could gravitate to and explore, and to develop the area’s pedestrian potential. The Wynwood Walls is a place for the entire community to congregate, to learn about art, to feel safe walking in the neighborhood. It is redevelopment that serves as a catalyst to revive the neighborhood and its surroundings. Since its inception, the Wynwood Walls program has seen over 50 artists representing 16 countries and have covered over 80,000 square feet of walls. They have become a must-see international destination, with media coverage that has included the New York Times, BBC News, Vanity Fair and Forbes, who mentioned them along with Wynwood on their list of America’s hippest neighborhoods. The Walls were also a focus of the docu-series Here Comes the Neighborhood, which chronicled the creation and evolution of the Wynwood neighborhood. The Wynwood Walls has become a location for residents of South Florida to visit during the pandemic. A Wynwood Streetscape Improvement Plan was just approved by the Miami City Commission to continue improving pedestrian walkability in the community.