On Our Agenda -- To Become Florida's Most Pedestrian Friendly Neighborhood

Ben Batchelder will present the final product of our Workshop Meetings aimed at becoming Florida's Most Pedestrian Friendly Neighborhood.

FPNA Pedestrian Initiative

•FPNA met for Feb. 1st 2010 brainstorming
 –Mission: To become FL’s most pedestrian-friendly neighborhood
 
–Primary strategies:
•To modify behavior of drivers & pedestrians
•To influence policy and opinion-makers
 
–Primary tactics:
•Engineering
•Enforcement
•Education (engagement/encouragement)
•Evaluation
 
–FPNA initiative the result of FPN’s inclusion in US DOT pedestrian-safety project
 
FPNA Pedestrian Initiative
 
•Analysis of current conditions
 
–Rampant aggressive driving puts all pedestrians at risk
 
–Street signage is deficient
•No signage warning visiting drivers of pedestrian-oriented culture unique to South Beach
•The dozen or so “Yield to Pedestrians, $83 fine”* signs are small, and usually warn re turning off major roads (e.g. Alton)
–Many drivers when questioned are unaware of signs or the Florida state law
•No signage warns noisy drivers of residential neighborhood
–Spill-over streets, such at 6th, and corridor streets, such as 16th, suffer
 
–Pedestrian-friendly crosswalks are rare
•Many residential intersections are without crosswalk stripes at all
•Most street crossing lights are pedestrian-unfriendly, which incentivizes people to ignore them
–Many pedestrian-intensive intersections, e.g. 11th & Meridian, give priority to turning cars (i.e. instead of automatically giving white-walk light, they stay red-stop), forcing pedestrians to ignore or activate crosswalk.
–Pedestrian activation, with the exception of a few actual on-demand crosswalks, is very slow or car-friendly (e.g. crossing button pressed less than 7-8 seconds before turn of lights does not activate, and pedestrian must wait another full cycle of light changing to safely cross).
 
–Many sidewalks are unsafe and/or unpleasant
•Many residential sidewalks are unsafe for seniors & strollers due to buckling & bike riding
•Most sidewalks are too narrow for walking 2-abreast or accommodating multiple use (e.g. bike + ped.)
•Many sidewalks are without shade trees
* Fine raised to $112

FPNA Pedestrian Initiative
•Recommendations
 
–Combat/reduce aggressive driving
•Reduce neighborhood speed limit from 30mph to 25mph
•Reduce speeding by providing constrained & visual-rich environment
–Narrow auto lanes on residential streets to 10’
–Add sidewalk bump-outs
–Thicken green space (i.e. plant more trees)
•Enforce laws
 
–Improve street signage
•Large welcome signs to South Beach, such as “Welcome to South Beach, Florida’s most pedestrian-friendly neighborhood.  Please yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, it’s the law!”
•Various, smaller 25mph neighborhood speed limit signs
•More “Yield to Pedestrians, $112 fine” signs, placed more strategically
•Stand-alone “Yield to Pedestrians in Crosswalks” cones at hi-volume zebra crossings, e.g. Collins
•Noise-abatement “Quiet zone, punishable by fine” signs on spillover & corridor streets
•Combine above signage where feasible to limit visual pollution
 
 
–Make crosswalks pedestrian-friendly
•Recalibrate all South Beach intersection lights to pedestrian-friendly
–Automatic white-walk for pedestrians at light change
–Incentivize activation button use by making more on-demand/rapid response (reduce wait time)
•Paint (and maintain fresh) as many neighborhood crosswalks as feasible
–Prioritize dangerous crosswalk-less intersections (e.g. Dade & N. Michigan nr High School, Bay Rd. & Dade)
–Paint all-4 crosswalks at every residential intersection
–Move towards crosswalk standardization
•Add bump-outs and more Stop sign intersections, ideally every other neighborhood block
FPNA Pedestrian Initiative
 
•Recommendations (continued)
 
–Implement further traffic calming/reducing measures
•Install speed cushions (currently used mid-beach) along hi-risk roads (e.g. bordering parks)
•Encourage tourist and residential walking programs
–MDPL tourist walking maps including Flamingo Park
–Parks Dept. walking program
–City Walk to Work days
•Encourage all city, police & other official cars to obey speed limits (e.g. pace cars)
•Improve Local Shuttle Bus signage & simplify complicated routing to encourage use
•Study accessible public parking for mainlanders to park & ride
 
–Improve sidewalks
•Widen sidewalks to 6’ and remove obstacles
–Better enforce encroachments
•Level bumps, improve night lighting & plant more shade trees
•Improve dog-owner behavior, including better enforcement
–More “Clean up after your dog, it’s the law!” signs at eye level attached to parking sign posts
–More dog bag dispensers & public trash bins