4 Trends and Takeaways from This Year’s Safe Streets Summit
Contact: Alia Awwad, Principal, Alta
As the curtains closed on this year’s Safe Streets Summit, our team found themselves invigorated by fresh perspectives, shared insights, and strengthened connections with transportation professionals and partners. This premier event dedicated to safe and connected streets in Southeast FL, has been the catalyst for change over the past 11 years. It is where collaboration, innovation, and advocacy converge to create streets that truly belong to everyone.
With a focus on empowering the communities of Southeast Florida to evolve into thriving, connected spaces for all to enjoy, transportation and safety experts from across the region came to support a united message: “Embracing Bicycle and Pedestrian Mobility.”
Our time at the Summit made it clear that we have made great strides in Southeast Florida over the last decade, championing vulnerable road user safety and embracing Complete Streets. We still have a lot to do, however, and we must keep the momentum going to continue to shift the needle and remove mobility barriers for cyclists and pedestrians of all ages and abilities. And the timing could not be more perfect. With a supportive federal infrastructure bill that prioritizes safety and active transportation, there is so much opportunity that Southeast Florida can leverage to continue its mission of creating safer communities for everyone.
Alta is so proud to be part of this movement to effect change toward safer streets. As delighted silver sponsors of this year’s event in Miami, FL, Alta had the chance to absorb all the invaluable insights the summit had to offer.
Here are 4 takeaways from the 2024 Safe Streets Summit:
1. Energizing with Pedal Power
The Safe Streets Summit is genuinely my annual energy boost for continuing to advocate for safer streets for all. This year, the Summit chose a bold theme to emphasize bicycle and pedestrian safety and mobility in the region. The theme resonated everywhere, with the keynote speaker encouraging us to create a happier city by thinking about how it can be best for an 8-year-old and an 80-year-old at the same time. Bike tours and workshops were on the program. We took Brightline to get there. The writing was on the wall, and the theme transformed into a call to action.
2. Consistent Connections and Creativity
The Safe Streets Summit is always an opportunity to connect and share ideas on how we can make South Florida a safer and more multimodal place. I am impressed with all the great initiatives and partnerships; it shows it takes time, but it is possible!
3. First Conference, First Looks
The Safe Streets Summit was my first conference since joining Alta, and I’m so glad to have participated. It was a great opportunity to learn from peer organizations, hear some success stories from South Florida agencies, and test an e-bike for the first time! I look forward to developing working relationships with the great people I meet.
4. Igniting Action and Innovation Year-Round
This is a time when you see all agency partners and transportation professionals uniting toward safer streets for all road users. It is a place where we have meaningful conversations, get inspired, define action items, and map out the next steps. With the Safe Streets Summit kicking off the year, the magic then happens for the rest of the year: you see ideas materialize, innovations implemented, and partnerships and friendships persevering to create livable spaces for the communities we love so much.
Learn more about Alta’s Florida team, and about our Safety practice. For more information, or to start a conversation about safety in your Florida community, reach out to Alia Awwad at aliaawwad@altago.com.
