On Wednesday, October 26th, 2023, the City of Miami Gardens Council passed a resolution authorizing the City’s Complete Streets Initiative, which will include development of a Complete Streets Manual. The resolution was co-sponsored by Councilman Robert Stephens. A Complete Streets Manual would provide a set of design guidelines for future development and transportation projects within the City that aims to create streets for all users that are safer and more enjoyable for those who move around their community outside of single-occupant vehicles. The approval of this resolution represents a big win for City residents in improving their biking, walking, and transit experiences. Thank you to the Miami Gardens community, Councilman Stephens, the Live Healthy Miami Gardens Bike and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, Live Healthy Miami Gardens staff and partners, City of Miami Gardens staff, and our UHP Community Liaisons for Miami Gardens on their contributions and support towards this Complete Streets resolution.

The Get Moving Miami Gardens project was co-designed by Community Liaisons—residents of Miami Gardens who were hired onto the project team to help implement the changes they wanted to see in their communities. These Community Liaisons were integral in the co-design process, collecting and analyzing input from the broader community, connecting with partners, and leading outreach efforts.

The Urban Health Partnerships (UHP) had implemented their Community Liaison (CL) Framework across communities in South Florida. As part of our Live Healthy Miami Gardens initiatives, several Community Liaisons from Miami Gardens were recruited. These CLs played a crucial role in advancing each project and ensuring its long-term sustainability. They received specialized training and support to become advocates for health and active transportation, working collaboratively with the UHP team.

Special thanks to our Miami Gardens Community Liaisons:

Rosalind Ikem

Tara Kitt-Laudat

Teara Jackson

Cindy Marcelin

Ebony Harris

Michelle Booth

Maritza Vereen

Herman McLean

The Safe Routes to School campaign highlighted the increasing necessity for people to walk or bicycle to access food, employment, and other basic needs, especially in Miami Gardens. The project emphasized the importance of creating safe spaces for pedestrians and bicyclists. Through an informative video, we explained the dangers of parking vehicles in a way that blocks sidewalks, forcing pedestrians to enter the street or cross in a vehicle’s blind spot.

Additionally, the Safe Routes to School campaign was not just about walking and biking to school; it was about encouraging outdoor activity in general. We featured artwork from Hibiscus Elementary students to engage the community and gather feedback on promoting safe, active routes for children and families.

Live Healthy Miami Gardens and UHP explored how a Complete Streets Policy could help Miami Gardens adopt a comprehensive and active approach to creating safer, more enjoyable streets for biking and walking throughout the city. Complete Streets are designed for all users: walkers, bikers, transit users, people of different abilities, and drivers, making it easy to cross the street, walk to shops, jobs, and schools, bicycle to work, and move actively with assistive devices. They are designed and operated to prioritize safety, comfort, and access to destinations for all street users, especially those whose needs have not been met through traditional car-centered approaches. Complete Streets may feature wide, shaded sidewalks; protected bike lanes; dedicated bus lanes; comfortable and accessible public transportation stops; frequent and safe crossing opportunities; and accessible pedestrian signals, among other elements. The exploration included looking at how bike lanes and crosswalks could be incorporated into Complete Street designs.

Through the Get Moving Miami Gardens Project, we’ve mapped out all the bike infrastructure projects that have been proposed or considered in planning documents. Very few of these projects have made it into existence over the past 10 years.

The goal of the Wayfinding Plan project was to create an active transportation wayfinding plan that enhanced the existing signage throughout Miami Gardens, establishing more explicit connections to community assets such as parks, health centers, healthy restaurants, stores, and schools. Wayfinding is a key component of the Live Healthy Miami Gardens Community Action Plan and supports sub-strategies in mental health, physical activity, nutrition, and primary care focus areas. The plan identified the most important destinations and provided information on active transportation options for residents. An extensive network of parks, walking paths, bike lanes, trails, and bus and trolley services already spanned the city; this action plan improved those connections. The improvements could be implemented through existing City of Miami Gardens funding or other grant opportunities.

Increasing Access, Mobility, and Safety in Miami Gardens

This project aimed to increase opportunities for physical activity in Miami Gardens by enhancing the walking and biking experience between key destinations. UHP collaborated with multiple partner groups and community members to create an activity-friendly route from City Hall along NW 187th Street. The project led to temporary physical improvements to streets, sidewalks, parks, and transit stops, incorporating features like pop-up parks, signage, painted crosswalks, and art. These modifications allowed community members to engage with potential improvements, provide feedback, and identify effective permanent changes for the future. The Get Moving project aimed to accelerate long-term changes to mobility in Miami Gardens, thereby increasing safety, access, and physical activity. It highlighted that access to everyday destinations could be easily achieved via active transportation methods, such as walking and biking, which could in turn improve physical and mental health. The everyday destinations connected through this project included City Hall, Carol City High, Carol City Middle, Barbara Hawkins Elementary, Brentwood Park, the Post Office, multiple apartment buildings and residential neighborhoods, West Side Blueway Multi-Use Trail, and the City of Miami Gardens Trolley. The project was co-designed by Community Liaisons—Miami Gardens residents hired onto the project team to help enact the changes they wished to see in their communities. In addition to participating in the co-design process, Community Liaisons collected and analyzed input from the broader community, connected with partners, and led outreach efforts.

The Get Moving Miami Gardens scavenger hunt was created to promote an active lifestyle while encouraging community members to think about incorporating walking and biking into their everyday activities, such as reaching their daily destinations. By navigating the city using the Get Moving path and engaging in these fun photo challenges and activities, participants could view Miami Gardens through a different lens. The event aimed to provide a fun and unique experience, inviting participants to share their experiences through pictures and posts on social media. Utilizing the Get Moving path, participants visited some favorite everyday destinations in Miami Gardens, looking out for bird feathers along the pathway for hints to the next stop. At each stop, they were prompted to complete challenges and post their findings on social media using the #getmovingmg hashtag. Sunny, the guide for the scavenger hunt, led participants on an adventurous journey making six stops along the Get Moving route. Participants were encouraged to find Sunny, take selfies at the numbered destinations, and engage with the community by posting their Sunny selfies and challenge responses online.

Urban Health Partnerships partnered with Live Healthy Miami Gardens (LHMG) starting in 2016 to support a healthier and more equitable community in Miami Gardens. Live Healthy Miami Gardens aimed to foster and maintain a community culture of health and well-being for all city residents through access, information, activities, and services. LHMG worked to develop and implement community-level strategies to address five focus areas: Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs; Healthy Eating and Improved Nutrition; Mental Health; Physical Activity; and Primary Health Care.

UHP closely collaborated with the LHMG Physical Activity and Nutrition (PAN) Subcouncil to lead the identification of policy, systems, and environmental changes that could help increase physical activity and improve health in Miami Gardens. UHP partnered with LHMG on various projects, details of which are available on the tabs to the left of this page.

Live Healthy Miami Gardens was an initiative launched in 2014 aimed at making this vibrant neighborhood a healthier place to live. The initiative focused on uniting the community, following a strategic plan of action, increasing coordination, and enacting changes that improved the health of Miami Gardens residents. The City of Miami Gardens served as the primary coordinator of the project, with the Health Foundation of South Florida providing up to $3.75 million in support over the first six years. For more information on Live Healthy Miami Gardens, visit: http://livehealthymiamigardens.com/.

2045 Miami-Dade Bicycle Pedestrian Master Plan http://miamidadetpo.org/library/plans/miami-dade-2045-bicycle-pedestrian-master-plan-2019-09.pdf

Miami Gardens Bicycle & Pedestrian Mobility Plan http://miamidadetpo.org/library/studies/miami-gardens-bicycle-and-pedestrian-mobility-plan-executive-summary-2013-04.pdf

Live Healthy Miami Gardens https://livehealthymiamigardens.com

Safe Routes to School Partnerships https://saferoutespartnership.org

Let’s Ride: Miami Gardens Express Learning Activity for Kids. Click here to view.

iWalk Safe http://iwalksafe.org/

iBike Safe http://ibikesafe.org/

Smart Growth America: National Complete Streets Coalition https://smartgrowthamerica.org/program/national-complete-streets-coalition/

Questions about this project? Please contact Wren Ruiz at [email protected].