PHOTO OPS AT WORLD CUP PARTIES ARE FUN

SAVING LIVES IS ESSENTIAL

I am begging Miami Mayor Eileen Higgins to take swift action to collaborate with Miami-Dade County to reduce unsafe conditions for pedestrians.

A Miami Herald story this week documented that greater Miami is one of the most dangerous places for pedestrians in the entire U.S.

I have supported and voted for Higgins since she ran for elected office in the County.

I attended her kickoff meeting when she successfully ran for mayor.

She has given me a proclamation for my artistic work to support historic preservation.

I now call on my fellow believer in public service and colleague to take decisive action.

A Chief Mobility Officer could save lives and increase safe mobility for all.

A city executive focused on stopping pedestrian deaths and severe injuries would be especially valuable for vulnerable residents who are disabled, elderly or very young.

More than 1/3 of Miamians cannot or do not drive.

That makes for a large constituency that would benefit from wide, unobstructed sidewalks, stiff fines for cars that park on them, longer better protected crosswalks and street redesign that slows down our dangerous drivers and protects mobility by foot, wheelchair or bike.

I suggested the Chief Mobility Officer position (full disclosure: yes, I would be interested in being the humble public servant who takes on this noble role) at the outset of 2026.

But I have yet to hear from our city's progressive mayor. 

Sorry that the Miami Herald chooses to keep this life safety story behind a subscription pay wall -- but you can get the gist from the free video at this link:

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/traffic/article316075848.html

 

 

DEAR CITY/COUNTY:

IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO MARK AN INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS                   HOLE IN A MAJOR CROSSWALK WITH A CONE

When something is capable of tripping a pedestrian or tossing a wheelchair user to the ground, we fix it immediately. 

Double utility volts in the curb ramp and uneven pavement also are epic fails of pedestrian mobility.

A bad built environment is why people with disabilities are the most under- and unemployed of all marginalized groups.

Acknowledging a safety threatening hole in the crosswalk and buckled pavement, but neglecting to fix it…

This is like waiting to see a renowned cancer doctor. And she says yes, you have cancer, but I’m not going to treat it.

Pedestrians are not second class citizens.

UNREGULATED E-SCOOTERS AND E-BIKES ARE NOTHING SHORT OF A NIGHTMARE

FOR WHEELCHAIR USERS, BLIND PEOPLE AND OTHERS WITH DISABILITIES

Unregulated e-scooters and e-bikes are nothing short of a nightmare for wheelchair users, blind people and others with disabilities.

Thanks Miami Herald, for remembering to explore that key aspect of the way Miami and the region neglects to keep its sidewalks, crosswalks, bus stops, etc. – free of clutter.

I am all for car alternatives and first/last mile solutions.

But none of the scooters deployed in Miami are built for people with disabilities. Other cities have demanded this -- Miami has not. That is discrimination.

Scooters and bikes blocking the sidewalk...and in many cases, the path to curb ramps and the "walk" button to push for safe street crossing.

This is not just an inconvenience.

It forces wheelchair users to back track to find an accessible route.

That can make them late for work, stuck in the rain or lead to missing a doctor's appointment.

Worse still, some go into the street to avoid the obstruction -- literally meaning this clutter is a matter of life and death.

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/coconut-grove/article240227761.html