2021 Safe Streets Awards - Winners
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 each selected one individual Complete Streets Champion Award winner and one Complete Streets Community Award winner.
Conference attendees voted to select one winner for the People’s Choice Award for Best Complete Streets Project! Winners were announced at the 2021 Safe Streets Summit on January 29, 2021.
WE ARE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE 2021 SAFE STREETS AWARDS WINNERS!
MIAMI-DADE
Complete Streets Champion Award
Meg Daly, Founder, Friends of the Underline
Meg Daly is founder and president of Friends of The Underline, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization leading the initiative to transform the underutilized land below Miami's Metrorail into a 10-mile linear park, urban trail and public art destination. In 2013 Daly broke both of her arms in a bike accident. Since she could not drive herself to physical therapy, she decided to take the Metrorail near her home, and then walked the rest of the way to her destination underneath the train tracks. Even during the month of July, she did not feel hot in the shade of the tracks. She noticed how wide the corridor was and how much space there was … and she was the only person using the space. Inspired by the High Line in NYC and other similar parks around the world, she thought that this space underneath the tracks should turn this land into a park below the train. And so, The Underline was born.
Since its founding in 2014, Friends of the Underline has been committed to transforming the underutilized land below Miami’s Metrorail. In 2020, some of her accomplishments with The Underline were:
- Launched Community Outreach Plan to grow connections along The Underline
- Began Art Master Plan and assembled The Underline Art Advisory Committee for art installations on The Underline
- Applied for numerous $2 million+ in grants, including several to help realize racial equity on The Underline
- Strengthened relationships with two historically underserved communities along The Underline, including one historically Bahamian neighborhood
- Commitment to ensuring safe crossings at each roadway intersection of The Underline
Ms. Daly has guided the Friends of the Underline to near completion of Phase 1 of The Underline, an approximate 0.5-mile section adjacent to Brickell area that includes pedestrian and bicycle trains, pedestrian and bicycle trails, basketball court, gym equipment, and spaces for exercise classes, yoga, and a sound stage for movies and concerts, along with a 50-foot long communal dining table, and should be opened in the early months of 2021.
Complete Streets Community Award
City of Miami Beach Transportation & Mobility Department
BROWARD
Complete Streets Champion Award Dedication
Kristin Jacobs
Kristin Jacobs served as a Broward MPO Member for many years and her widespread influence helped to shape core initiatives the MPO champions today. She helped shift the agency’s focus from moving cars (congestion management) to moving people (Broward Complete Streets). She also championed resiliency ensuring Broward’s future by addressing climate change today.
Jacobs was a longtime advocate for innovative transportation projects, including light rail and complete streets. Throughout her career, Kristin worked to expand affordable housing, revitalize neighborhoods, encourage sustainable development and advocated for making solar energy a viable option for homeowners. One of her many accomplishments included spearheading the development of the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact (SFRCC) (comprised of Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties) to address the current and future resiliency threats that South Florida faces. The SFRCC Compact created a non-partisan forum for 5.5 million residents to speak with one voice to their Federal and State representatives about the unique needs of the region.
Thank you Kristin for your leadership in improving the transportation system in South Florida and advocating for South Florida's concerns for climate change. The MPO is forever grateful.
Complete Streets Champion Award
Sheila Rose
Complete Streets Community Award
City of Weston
PALM BEACH
Complete Streets Champion Award
Andy Thomson, Council Member, City of Boca Raton
As a TPA Board Member, Council Member Thomson facilitated an important city council discussion of the potentially adverse impacts of roadway widening projects on community character and pedestrian and bicycle safety, ultimately resulting in a City position in support of Complete Streets investment in area transportation facilities in lieu of roadway widening. He also led the discussion of a lane repurposing project within the City, weighing the potential safety benefits of a reduction from 6 to 4 vehicle lanes against the potential for increased traffic congestion that resulted in unanimous city support for the project.
In 2020, Council Member Thomson was one of 21 elected officials selected across the nation to participate in Smart Growth America's inaugural class of Active People, Healthy Nationâ„ Champions Institute, a new initiative to help prepare a hand-picked group of elected officials to effectively advocate for and support safer and more complete streets. Council Member Thomson can routinely be found walking, jogging and biking along the area roadways with his children while promoting healthier communities and stewardship of our public spaces.
Complete Streets Community Award
City of Boynton Beach
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD
Protected Bike Lane Demonstration Plan (Cutler Bay, 211th St) Town of Cutler Bay
Please be sure to cheer on and congratulate this year's winners and consider nominating your local Champions for next year's Safe Streets Awards!
Make sure to check out the 2021 Safe Streets Summit Nominees!
Check out last year’s winners by visiting the 2020 Safe Streets Awards page.