The Friends advocate at all levels of government. Here’s our latest letter. We encourage everyone to share your thoughts and make the safety conversation part of daily life. Together we can do this.
5/2/2024
Dear Mayor Levine Cava,
You asked me to write and describe the recent pedestrian accident along Coconut Grove’s Commodore Trail and suggest actions you could take.
Ransom Everglades history and social sciences teacher Kate Hamm was severely injured when she was struck by a large SUV while leaving the Commodore Trail on Main Highway in a crosswalk on the evening of Thursday, April 11. She was taken to Mercy Hospital and then transferred to Kendall Trauma Center due to the severity of her injuries, with multiple fractures involving her legs and hip. According to media reports, her recovery will be long and arduous. Private reports relate her intense pain.
The accident—coupled with growing grass-roots anxiety after recent high-profile deaths—has generated extremely strong feelings here among local residents and users of the Commodore Trail. Later this week, strong calls for action will be promoted by many groups and activist in support of proactive safety measures—your Vision Zero campaign among them.
Simple, tangible, cost-effective and high-profile measures that your administration can take to increase pedestrian and bike safety are now within your power. Friends of the Commodore Trail (FCT) can serve as a mature partner to inform, amplify and celebrate good works of the County administration and DTPW if you are able to act.
Your administration can do these things now:
- Direct DTPW to ensure its coming design of the South Bayshore roadway project incorporates separated and protected lanes for pedestrians, cyclists and cars to the greatest extent possible. This may add small cost now but it’s worth the added safety (Think future e-bike collisions).
Commissioner Regalado’s office (copied) has offered to host a technical meeting to work through the details with independent engineering experts for which FCT has paid. - Praise DTPW for partnering with FCT to correct existing deficiencies in sidewalk maintenance. However, signage, crosswalk maintenance, lighting and visibility maintenance will remain inadequate as recent accidents confirm. Fixing what’s broken is a good start, but the priorities and standards are obsolete.
- Direct DTPW to engage with the City of Miami’s Office of Capital Improvements (copied) on reviewing the Commodore Trail Master Plan draft. Missteps over the past many months have resulted in this critical planning tool remaining stuck in limbo between the two organizations. The public is hyper-aware of the stalled plan, and I’m asked daily “What’s up with this delay?” There are no good answers to that embarrassing question, but you can start this moving quickly.
Thank you, Mayor. FCT remains committed to being the best partner organization the County has. We welcome further guidance.
For your Commodore,
Mel
Mel J. Meinhardt, Chair, Friends of the Commodore Trail
