At the City of South Miami Commission Meeting of April 22, 2021, County Commissioner Rachel Regalado provided a recap of recent actions taken at the county commission.
At the top of her list was the issue of pedestrian safety. She noted that the South Miami city manager, Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), Miami-Dade County Transportation and Public Works, and the Metropolitan Transportation Organization (MTO) are collaboratively working to improve the pedestrian crossings of US1 in South Miami: 57 Avenue, 72 Avenue, 62 Avenue and 80th Street.
Regalado noted that the city has been identified as a pilot program for the Micromobility Task Force of the MTO. One of the most significant proposed pedestrian improvement is to create a diagonal crosswalk and Sunset Drive and Red Road.
Referred to in the parlance of transportation planners it is a “pedestrian scramble,” “scramble intersection,” and also “exclusive pedestrian interval.” It is a type of traffic signal movement that temporarily stops all vehicular traffic, thereby allowing pedestrians to cross an intersection in every direction, including diagonally, at the same time.
BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED ROADWAYS
The South Miami Commission is in the design stage for a pedestrian bridge from the metrorail station to the business district The call for a pedestrian bridge has been spearheaded by Comm. Luis Gil for three years. Cost guesstimates are some $7m+/-.
Access to the bridge is at the ground level to the north of the station. East side landing would be at 71 Street between Akashi and La Pizza. Presenting a vibrant design with a simplified and safe structural support were members of the design team: APCTE and V3 Architect Group.
To hear Comm. Regalado’s remarks, go to www.southmiamifl.gov and search for the 04/22/2021 City Commission video.
