"Live" from Art Basel Miami Beach -- Miami Beach Makes its Roads (a Little) More Friendly

Miami Beach has been improving its streets. The city should be applauded and encouraged to do more. "Bulb outs", the narrowing of the roadway at intersections or mid-block, have been added to Alton Road (see bottom photo) and to Indian Creek Drive (see top photo) recently. This is done to reduce crossing distance for pedestrians and speed for motorists

Like most places in the United States, Miami Beach has streets that were designed to move as many motor vehicles as quickly as possible. In some instances, civil roads were remade to achieve this end. The result is a street network that often discourages walking, biking, and general sociability.

Further improvements could be made to Indian Creek and adjacent Collins Avenue. They were probably built as two-way streets. Two-way traffic should be reintroduced and the roadways narrowed. In addition to making these streets safer (because speeds will be reduced), it will also be easier for motorists to get to their destinations.