It’s no secret that Miami-Dade is not the easiest place to navigate without a set of wheels. However, it is possible to get around Miami without a car. That’s why we designed this year’s Public Space Challenge to get Miamians thinking about ways to create, activate or improve the way we move around Greater Miami.

We asked: “How might we make Miami-Dade an easier, safer and more pleasant place to get around for us all: walkers, bikers, public transit users and drivers alike?” You delivered. From Opa-locka to Cutler Bay, downtown Miami to North Bay Village, Miami-Dade residents submitted hundreds of ideas in this year’s Public Space Challenge. You also shared those ideas with your friends and families, sparking even more discussion online.

This year’s most popular idea got 1,465 likes and 60 comments on our submission platform, our most liked project yet! Municipal officials and community leaders came together to submit an idea to improve the North Bay Village Urban Nature Trail by installing bike racks, hydration stations and artsy wayfinding signs to different parks.

Another popular idea included a collaboration between two previous Challenge winners: the Opa-Locka Community Development Corporation and O, Miami. This year, they teamed up on an idea to illuminate unlit sidewalks near the Historic Opa-locka City Hall with poetry on topics about transportation, infrastructure and public safety.

And, we got a whopping nine ideas to improve and beautify Coconut Grove’s Commodore Trail. Two ideas are moving on as finalists, one to widen the trail and add protective barriers and another to install light fixtures and interactive lighting along the trail. Both would make it safer for residents, schoolchildren and commuters to walk or ride their bikes to get to where they’re headed.

Then, there’s the Velocia app, which gives users a 360-degree view of how they get around the city and rewards people for choosing to take the bus or metro instead of driving or use a shared bicycle or scooter instead of a car.

Velocia is already built and Miami-Dade resident Eldredge Bermingham wants to help pilot the app in his community.

Ideas like these help make Miami-Dade a better-connected community and an easier place to get around and enjoy together. The Miami Foundation will invest $250,000 in the top ones, and up to $25,000 in any given project to get them off the ground. We also partnered with Target, who will fund projects that encourage thriving and connected communities.

You can see all the finalists on the map at PublicSpaceChallenge.org. Like and comment on your favorites to help them win! We will announce the 2019 Public Space Challenge winners in September.

Once the winners are selected, they’ll need your help to make their ideas come to life. Sign up here to stay in the loop on volunteer opportunities with Challenge ideas and other transit-related projects.

Chelsea Clark is the programs and grants administration associate at The Miami Foundation.

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