The shops at Mary Brickell Village are situated in the heart of the Brickell area on South Miami Avenue between SE 9th and 10th Street. This popular shopping and dinning complex is intersected by South Miami Avenue. Unfortunately, pedestrians are placed in a precarious situation since they frequently cross the street in the middle of the block, rather then using the crosswalks at either end of the complex on SE 9th and 10th street. Pedestrians instinctively choose the shortest route to get back and forth from the eastern complex to the western complex of Mary Brickell Village. Regrettably, they put themselves in harms way by jaywalking. It seems that the developers and the County Public Works Department did not consider the needs of pedestrians during the planning process of this project.
Instead of creating a well marked (with lights and signs) mid-block pedestrian crosswalk, the Mary Brickell Village developers seem to think that valet parking and a couple on street parking spaces should take priority over a mid-block pedestrian crosswalk. Not only would the crosswalk ensure the safety of their valued customers, but it would also serve as a much needed traffic calming tool.
I brought this issue up at a DDA meeting held several months ago at Mary Brickell Village. Jeff Cohen, from the County Public Works Department suggested a mid-block pedestrian overpass rather then a street level crosswalk. This is a terrible idea. Why incur the extra cost of building a pedestrian bridge which no one will use? The street life at Mary Brickell Village occurs precisely at street level and should remain there.
Hopefully Mary Brickell Village management and the County Public Works Department can get their act together soon. I hate to say it, but someone will get hurt sooner or later. Let’s be proactive about this please.
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