MOBILITY MONDAY - October 24, 2022 Edition

MOBILITY MONDAY

Message From Our Executive Director, Greg Stuart

Happy Monday! In this week's edition of Mobility Monday, we're taking a look at two transportation conferences - the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO) Annual Conference in Minneapolis on October 25 and Rail-Volution in Miami on October 30. The Broward MPO team is proud to share our knowledge and expertise with our colleagues from around the U.S. at both conferences. Recently, I was a guest on the Rail-Volution podcast where I talked about the evolution of the county and how a pattern of suburban growth is shifting toward more walkable, bikeable and transit-ready neighborhoods. Seven members of our staff were selected by AMPO to present on a number of topics including public involvement, government relations, and transportation planning. Follow us on social media @SpeakUpBroward and check out our live updates from both conferences this week!

BROWARD MPO IN ACTION

Broward MPO Think Like a Planner Recap

Seventh and eighth grade debate students from New Renaissance Middle School in Miramar visited the Broward MPO offices last week for the final session of our Think Like a Planner series. We conducted a walking audit of the Cypress Creek Mobility Hub, and the students presented their recommendations to our panel of judges.

A very special thank you to our judges who volunteered their time: James Cromar, the Broward MPO’s Deputy Executive Director of Mobility Initiatives; Yvette Colbourne, Miramar Vice Mayor; Maurene S. Balmaseda, a consultant for the Broward MPO with HDR; and Chris Ryan, former Broward MPO Deputy Executive Director and Public Information Officer.

Broward MPO Executive Director Greg Stuart Appears on Rail-Volution Podcast

When Henry Flagler’s railroad first reached south Florida in the early 20th century, the area we know today as Broward County was primarily agricultural. Major development came with highways and growth took off in the 1980s, in the county’s three large cities –Fort Lauderdale, Pompano and Hollywood – and in smaller cities. In recent years, as Greg describes on the podcast, many of these communities have been transformed, with more sidewalks and bicycle lanes, lighting and trees. Though it may not be immediately visible from the highway, South Florida is changing, with more neighborhoods where it’s possible (and safer) to walk or bike to the grocery store, restaurants and other destinations. During the stay-at-home mandates of the pandemic, this bike/ped infrastructure found new users and new fans. Now, thanks to a successful ballot measure to secure a 1% sales tax for transportation, Broward is poised to build out more robust transit options. Some of this already is visible, for example in the coordination of the streetscape with access to Broward County Transit and Brightline passenger rail in downtown Fort Lauderdale. Plans also are moving forward for intercity rail on north-south and east-west corridors, as well as for intermodal stations and bus priority corridors. Listen to the podcast to find out more about the history of land use planning in South Florida, from the 1970s era models for suburban and urban growth to the vision for 2100 and hear details about the ways that Broward County is building more resilient infrastructure in response to sea level rise.

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FROM OUR PARTNERS

Safe Streets Summit Call for Presenters

The Safe Streets Summit is returning to Broward County for its 10-Year Anniversary. The two-day conference will be held at the Diplomat Hotel in Hollywood, Florida from February 2-3, 2023. We are now seeking conference presenters! In addition to bringing national speakers and leaders to speak on innovative transportation efforts, this year, we are also accepting proposals for exciting and dynamic speakers who can help illustrate Complete Streets in action through real-life examples. In order to be considered, all submissions must clearly align with the "Back to the Streets" 2023 conference theme. The deadline to submit a conference proposal is October 28, 2022. Click HERE to submit your proposal today.

FDOT Mobility Week Kicks Off

Florida is celebrating its seventh annual statewide Mobility Week from October 21 through 28, 2022. Mobility Week is a cooperative effort by the Florida Department of Transportation and its partner agencies to promote awareness of safe, multimodal transportation choices. During Mobility Week, counties, cities and transportation agencies host events like the Love to Ride Challenge and offer resources like a Virtual Conference Center, webinars, and videos to encourage Floridians to try new transportation options. It's an ideal time for agen to highlight transportation achievements, roll out new initiatives or implement new policies.

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ON THE ROAD TO AMPO

The Broward MPO team is heading to the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO) Annual Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota this week, and we couldn't be more excited! The AMPO Annual Conference is the premier event for MPOs to learn and network. It provides the opportunity to meet with over 350 MPO directors, transportation planners, and elected officials from across the country. The conference is structured into two and one-half days of sessions, with networking events every evening. During the conference, attendees are able to choose from general sessions, workshops, and mobile tours. A concurrent exhibition is held onsite during the conference, allowing opportunities to visit with industry partners and learn about new products and services. Follow us on social media where we will post live updates throughout the week!