Miami Sidewalk Safety · 2026

Miami's sidewalks
belong to you.

Construction sites across Miami are closing sidewalks for months — sometimes years — forcing pedestrians into traffic. Miami-Dade is already one of the most dangerous counties in Florida for people on foot. This doesn't have to continue.

The fix requires no new laws. The City can act tomorrow.

See the Proposal Read the Full Memo ↗

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Miami-Dade ranks among Florida's most dangerous counties for pedestrians

Sidewalk closures can persist for months or years with no oversight

Pedestrians forced into traffic lanes when sidewalks close

No new laws needed — the City Manager can act by administrative directive

Seniors, disabled people & transit riders are most affected

Same 90-day cap already applies to parking space closures

Miami-Dade ranks among Florida's most dangerous counties for pedestrians

Sidewalk closures can persist for months or years with no oversight

Pedestrians forced into traffic lanes when sidewalks close

No new laws needed — the City Manager can act by administrative directive

Seniors, disabled people & transit riders are most affected

Same 90-day cap already applies to parking space closures

Why It Matters

The problem is real —
and getting worse.

When a sidewalk closes, pedestrians don't disappear. They step into the street. In a city where traffic speeds stay high and alternatives are limited, that's not an inconvenience — it's a safety crisis.

Pedestrians are pushed into traffic

Closed sidewalks force walkers into travel lanes, bike lanes, and unmarked detours — directly into the path of moving vehicles. Federal highway research confirms this sharply raises crash risk.

365

Days some closures go unchecked

Current rules allow closures to persist indefinitely with little oversight. What starts as a 30-day permit can quietly become a years-long occupation of public space.

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Disproportionate harm to vulnerable residents

Seniors, people with disabilities, parents with strollers, and transit riders bear the brunt of sidewalk closures. They have no option to simply drive around the problem.

Cost to fix — it's an administrative directive

No new legislation. No budget. The City Manager can clarify enforcement standards tomorrow under existing ordinances. This has been done before — the same model governs the City's Noise Ordinance.

What It Looks Like on the Ground

This is happening
right now.

Real conditions on Miami streets — where inadequate oversight turns temporary permits into months-long public safety hazards.

Tigertail Ave & Mary Street · Coconut Grove

A construction closure encapsulated a stop sign, rendering it invisible to drivers for over a week before residents reported it. This is the direct result of inadequate MOT oversight — a hazard that persisted in plain sight.

Photo documentation from the full policy memo — available for download ↗

The Proposal

7 Common-Sense Rules

Plain-language summary. Read the full technical memo ↗

01
Closures only when truly necessary
Construction crews must demonstrate that work cannot reasonably be done from private property. Public sidewalks are not default staging areas.
02
90-day limit per site per year
No sidewalk closure may last more than 90 cumulative days in a calendar year — the same rule that already applies to parking space closures.
03
Double fencing for closures over 24 hours
A fence at the property line secures the construction site. A second fence marks the exact limits of the closed public right-of-way — creating a clear, visible boundary.
04
Advance public notice
For closures over 24 hours: abutting property owners within 500 feet notified by certified mail 5 days ahead. On-site signage posted. District Commissioner's office notified.
05
No storage or staging in the right-of-way
No materials, equipment, trailers, portable toilets, vehicles, or construction debris may be stored in the closed public right-of-way at any time.
06
Emergency reopening within 12 hours
All closures must be set up in a way that allows the sidewalk to be fully reopened within 12 hours upon city request — for emergencies, non-compliance, or public safety.
07
Covered pedestrian walkways where materials could fall
Where construction creates a falling-debris risk, permit holders must provide a covered, protected pedestrian walkway — keeping the sidewalk open and safe rather than simply closing it.

Enforcement

Real consequences.
Clear expectations.

1st Infraction

Written Warning

Posted on-site and online. Public record created. Project manager notified directly.

2nd Infraction

Citation & Fines

Formal code enforcement citation. Fines issued. Posted publicly on-site and online.

3rd Infraction

Permit Revoked

MOT permit terminated. Public right-of-way must be restored within 24 hours.

Immediate Termination (no warning)

Six conditions trigger instant revocation: inaccurate safety plans, non-compliant signage, storage in the ROW, fire/police revocation requests, blocking transit access, or obstructed signage. A 24-hour cure window is allowed on the first occurrence; repeat violations result in immediate termination with no opportunity to cure.

Miami's sidewalks belong to you.

The problem is real —and getting worse.

Pedestrians are pushed into traffic

Days some closures go unchecked

Disproportionate harm to vulnerable residents

Cost to fix — it's an administrative directive

This is happeningright now.

The City can actright now.

7 Common-Sense Rules

Real consequences.Clear expectations.

Miami's sidewalks
belong to you.

The problem is real —
and getting worse.

This is happening
right now.

The City can act
right now.

Real consequences.
Clear expectations.