2022 Safe Streets Awards - Nominees

The Safe Streets Awards are an opportunity to highlight individuals and jurisdictions that have led by example in creating better streets for all users. Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties will each select one individual Complete Streets Champion Award winner and one Complete Streets Community Award winner. Conference attendees will be voting to select the recipient of the 2022 People’s Choice Award! Be sure to join us at the Safe Streets Summit and root for your local champions!

WE ARE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE 2022 SAFE STREETS AWARDS NOMINEES!

COMPLETE STREETS CHAMPION AWARD

COMPLETE STREETS COMMUNITY AWARD

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD FOR BEST PROJECT

COMPLETE STREETS CHAMPION AWARD

Awarded to an individual who has been an exceptional leader and catalyst in advancing Complete Streets in Miami-Dade, Broward, or Palm Beach.

(Nominees Listed in Alphabetical Order)
Miami-Dade County

Carlos Cruz-Casas, Assistant Director, Department of Transportation and Public Works, Miami-Dade County
Tiffany Gehrke, Pedestrian and Bike Coordinator, FDOT District Six
The Honorable Oliver G. Gilbert III, Chairman, Miami-Dade TPO Geverning Board
Matthew Gultanoff, Founder, Better Streets Miami Beach

Broward County

Priscilla Cygielnik, City Engineer, Deerfield Beach
Brynt Johnson, Director of Building and Permitting Services, City of Oakland Park
Ken Reinhardt, Volunteer Lead, AARP Florida Livable Communities
Jeff Torkelson, Founder, Recyclable Bicycle Exchange (RBX) Program

Palm Beach County

Jamie Brown, Director, Public Works, City of Lake Worth Beach
The Honorable Kim Glas-Castro, Vice Mayor, Town of Lake Park
Paola Mendoza, Associate Engineer, Department of Public Works/Engineering, City of Boynton Beach
Joanna Peluso, Project Director, Healthier Jupiter
The Honorable Chelsea Reed, Vice Mayor, City of Palm Beach Gardens
Brian Ruscher, Transportation Planner, City of Delray Beach
Maria Tejera, Traffic Engineer, City of Boca Raton

COMPLETE STREETS COMMUNITY AWARD

Awarded to a local government or organization in Miami-Dade, Broward, or Palm Beach that has significantly contributed to the implementation of Complete Streets including doing an outstanding job engaging the community.

(Nominees Listed in Alphabetical Order)

Miami-Dade County

FDOT District Six
Town of Cutler Bay

Broward County

City of Deerfield Beach
City of Hollywood
City of Miramar
City of Oakland Park
Public Works Department, City of Fort Lauderdale

Palm Beach County

City of Boca Raton
Village of Palm Springs
City of Boynton Beach
City of Delray Beach
City of Lake Worth Beach
City of Palm Beach Gardens
City of West Palm Beach
Engineering & Public Works Department, Palm Beach County

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD FOR BEST PROJECT

Awarded to a project that has helped advance Complete Streets efforts in Miami-Dade, Broward, and/or Palm Beach. Projects can include quick-build or permanent and long-term projects. Safe Streets Summit attendees will have an opportunity to vote for the best Complete Streets focused project.

(Nominees Listed in Alphabetical Order)

1) Banyan Boulevard

Complete rebuild of Banyan Boulevard for 1.2 miles from Australian to Flagler.

Phase I is under construction from Australian to Quadrille and will include a treed median, raised bike lanes and additional lighting and shade connecting the West Palm Beach Intermodal Center, which serves as a regional transit hub for Palm Tran and Tri-Rail, to the heart of Downtown West Palm Beach. Phase 2 will include construction of Quadrille to Flagler with an emphasis on improved intersections and wider sidewalks.

2) Complete Streets Mobility Project NW 21st Avenue

The Project was a collaborative effort between the Broward MPO, City of Oakland Park, Broward County and FDOT and consisted of widening the road to accommodate...

buffered bike lanes with green at conflict areas, filling existing sidewalk gaps, transit improvements, ADA improvements, Lighting, and signalization improvements. Continuous bike lanes and sidewalks with the addition of medians throughout, this project has been successful in addressing safety and accessibility concerns of the residents that Broward County and the Cities had identified.

3) Downtown Miami MicroMobility Network – Miami-Dade County

The Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works, in partnership with the City of Miami and Downtown Development Authority, has introduced a network of separated & protected bicycle/scooter lanes.

The project consists of repurposing vehicular lanes into green bike lanes separated with buffered space and various elements such as concrete stoppers, delineators and dedicated space to add planters. This project is an indication of the progressive move towards safer streets and makes part of the effort to prioritize the implementation of the County’s Vision Zero and Complete Streets Programs.

4) Fuller Street Road Closure

In July 2020, as part of a restaurant economic recovery program, the City of Miami placed a temporary street closure on Fuller Street in the Coconut Grove neighborhood to help businesses during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fuller street is a one-way street that connects Grand Avenue to Main Highway, that motorists would use as a cut through between the two roadways, which resulted in some conflicts between moving vehicles and the ones that were parallel parked.

The initial reaction of the closure to vehicular traffic was hesitant at first by the businesses, but that viewpoint has changed since. Pink tables with umbrellas now dot the road space that was formerly occupied by cars. The closure allowed for more outdoor seating for bars and restaurants while adhering to social distancing, in addition to now having an active street with creative uses of the urban space, such as block parties and children playing with sidewalk on the roadway. During the Summer of 2021, City of Miami passed a resolution to extend the county permit for the street closure indefinitely. Municipal officials have worked since with discussions as to how to further enhance the street closure for the public good as a multi-use facility for pedestrians, cyclists and dining establishments and space activation focus for events. Some of the options being considered are a bike lane with tubular delineators, and a Woonerf “Living Street” as is being done in the master plan of the Wynwood neighborhood elsewhere in the city. There have even been petitions by the locals to make the street closure permanent. A bright future is ahead!.

5) Northwest Cultural Trail Ghost Roundabout

Originally from England, the ghost roundabout is making its ﬁrst stateside appearance.

A cross between a 4-way stop and roundabout, the ghost roundabout serves three purposes.

1. Create a sense of insecurity in drivers, causing them to slow down. They wonder, is this a full stop, or a yield roundabout? They then slow down, creating a safer environment for pedestrians and bicyclists in this area.

2. Provide a wide, open space to host community events like concerts or markets.

3. Evoke a spinning record, a nod to nearby jazz venues.

6) Quick-Build Project NE 3rd Avenue - Make Broward Better at Tedder!

This project is located within the Tedder community in the City of Deerfield Beach. NE 3rd Avenue is an essential route for community members of all ages who regularly bike and walk to different destinations along and near this corridor.

Destinations include employment centers, hospitals, shops, restaurants and four schools within a half-mile radius.

The NE 3rd Ave Quick-Build project increases the visibility of vulnerable users of the road through pedestrian treatments and traffic calming. The project included crosswalk enhancements, intersection improvements, a mid-block crossing, curb extensions and repurposing vehicular travel lanes in both directions to implement protected bike lanes and sidewalk extensions.

7) Seacrest Boulevard

Seacrest Boulevard is a 1.5-mile corridor connecting the City of Delray Beach's Central Business District to residential neighborhoods, parks, and schools.

The city improved the corridor by receiving funds from the Palm Beach TPA's Transportation Alternatives Funding Program by narrowing travel lanes to calm traffic, adding bicycle lanes, expanding sidewalks to both sides of the road, and enhancing landscaping with new plantings and trees. The City held a ceremonial bike ride to the ribbon cutting after the last phase's completion.

8) Silver Beach Road Improvement Project

The Silver Beach Road improvement project is located in Palm Beach County within the municipal limits of the City of Riviera Beach and the Town of Lake Park.

This corridor was widened from a 2-lane roadway, to a 3-lane roadway that added new drainage systems, bike lanes, and sidewalks. Throughout the duration of both design and construction Palm Beach County staff attended public information meetings prior to construction and the County’s Construction Coordination Division provided public outreach services and coordination with the residents.

9) SMART STEP Project – Amelia Earhart Park Entrance

The Miami-Dade TPO Task Forces have implemented the “SMART Street Transportation Enhancement Program (STEP)” advancing multiple STEP projects countywide.

The STEP was created by the TPO’s Urban and Non-Urban Task Forces to facilitate interagency coordination, innovation, and accelerated implementation of pedestrian and bicycle improvement projects that increase connectivity and enhance safety. As part of the Miami-Dade TPO’s SMART STEP, the objective of this project was to enhance and prioritize pedestrian mobility along West 74th Place in Hialeah. Phase 1 encompassed the improvements at the intersection with W 3rd Court to the main crosswalk near the transit bus stop, and the addressing of hazardous conditions caused by illegal dumping. Phase 2 comprised enhancing the entrance to Amelia Earhart Park that is utilized by residents of an adjacent neighboring located at the end of W 74th Place. Those enhancement included walkways and benches. This project was completed under the leadership of Maria Nardi, Director of PROS and Eulois Cleckley, Director of DTPW, along with the support of Miami-Dade TPO Urban Mobility Task Vice Chairman René Garcia.