MIAMI, Fla. – On August 10, Senator Ileana Garcia, State Representative Michael Grieco, and Commissioner Joe Carollo, along with MHCP COLAB, hosted a press conference to celebrate the installation of new 25 MPH speed limit signs in the Little Havana neighborhood of the City of Miami. Senator Garcia and Representative Grieco presented a ceremonial check for the $3,000,000 secured this past legislative session for the local project.
“When I learned that our abuelitos and schoolchildren were being injured or killed in pedestrian crashes it shocked me beyond belief. Going about your daily life should not be the reason you get hospitalized or killed,” said Senator Garcia. “This was a no-brainer for us to support and help push in a bipartisan way through the Senate. $3,000,000 will go a long way in curbing these needless incidents and help create a safer and more vibrant community in which we can all enjoy a nice walk outside. I want to thank Representative Grieco for his support in the Florida House of Representatives and to Commissioner Joe Carollo for bringing this matter to our attention and presenting a sensible solution.”
Little Havana is the third neighborhood in Miami-Dade County to prioritize pedestrian travel over cars by creating four pedestrian priority zones within a quarter mile of schools.
“As you well know, parts of my district, especially in north Little Havana, are some of the county’s most dangerous streets for pedestrians,” said Commissioner Carollo. “I want to thank my fellow commissioners for supporting this resolution and our community partners for their involvement, because it will make these streets safer for our residents and their children. In an area that has so much pedestrian traffic, it is the right thing to do. I would also like to thank our state elected officials Senator Ileana Garcia and Representative Michael Grieco for their support of additional funding for this project from the State of Florida.”
Little Havana has the highest number of pedestrian crashes in Miami-Dade County according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle’s crash data provided by the Florida Department of Transportation. Data for a five-year trend shows that between 2012 and 2017 there were 239 pedestrian crashes and 12 fatalities.
The pedestrian priority zones will aim to curb pedestrian accidents by installing new crosswalks on school routes, pedestrian signals with longer lead times for people crossing in front of cars, and narrower crossings at intersections and designated green ways.
For more information, please visit www.FLSenate.gov.
Originally published at https://www.flsenate.gov/Media/PressReleases/Show/4302
