🚦 Protecting Pedestrian Safety in Sunny Isles Beach: Why Speed Limits Matter

Sunny Isles Beach is a vibrant, walkable community where many residents rely on walking, biking, and scooting for their daily commutes. However, with rising pedestrian accidents and fatalities, the city has been pushing to keep a 20 MPH speed limit on interior streets—a move that was recently denied by Miami-Dade County.

Instead, the county has approved an increase speed limit of 25 MPH, despite safety concerns from residents and city officials. This decision has sparked discussions about pedestrian safety, traffic control, and local governance.

🚸 The Reality of Pedestrian Safety in Our City

✅ Our city has seen too many pedestrian accidents. Stricter speed control is essential to protecting lives.

✅ Kids walk, bike, and scoot to school daily. A higher speed limit puts them at risk.

✅ Lower speeds keep our community safe and walkable.

📊 The Risk: 20 MPH vs. 25 MPH vs. 30 MPH

Research consistently shows that even a small increase in speed significantly raises the risk of severe injury or death for pedestrians:

• At 20 MPH, pedestrians have approximately a 1% chance of fatality when struck (IIHS).

• At 25 MPH, the fatality risk jumps to 12%, and about 30% of pedestrians sustain severe injuries (FHWA).

• At 30 MPH, the fatality risk doubles to around 20%, and nearly 47% of pedestrians suffer severe injuries (FHWA).

These figures prove that even a 5 MPH increase can dramatically affect pedestrian survival rates, making lower speed limits critical for safety in densely populated areas like Sunny Isles Beach.

🚦 What’s the Issue?

• Sunny Isles Beach conducted a professional speed study and formally requested a 20 MPH limit to prioritize safety.

• ❌ Miami-Dade County DENIED the request but agreed to approve a 25 MPH speed limit instead—higher than what the city wanted.

• 📢 Commissioner Fabiola Stuyvesant Delays Vote, But the Fight Isn’t Over

• 🚨 Why does the County have control? The Miami-Dade Department of Transportation & Public Works has jurisdiction over our roads, limiting local control over speed limits.

📢 Attend the Town Hall & Make Your Voice Heard!

📍 Where: Sunny Isles Beach Government Center

📅 Date: Wednesday, March 19, 2025

🕒 Time: 6:00 PM

This is your chance to share your thoughts, ask questions, and advocate for safer streets. County officials will be present, making this a crucial opportunity to make an impact.

📨 Take Action: Tell County Leaders to Prioritize Safety!

📩 Email the decision-makers & tell them you OPPOSE this speed increase:

📩 Mayor Daniella Levine Cava – Click to Email

📩 District 4 Commissioner Micky Steinberg – Click to Email

🔗 Watch the January Commission Meeting Discussion Here

🚗 Let’s Keep Sunny Isles Beach Safe! Your Voice Matters!

Join the Town Hall, send an email, and spread the word. Together, we can fight for safer streets and ensure our city remains walkable, family-friendly, and pedestrian-safe.