Patricia Garcia’s route to River Landing did not end when the sidewalk did.
She kept walking, but in the street.
Before uploading a video documenting the route, Garcia said she had previously contacted the office of City of Miami Commissioner Miguel Gabela regarding missing sidewalks in District 1. She said the office’s chief of staff told her that it was not “feasible” to build a sidewalk because of parked cars.
Garcia posted the walk on Instagram, which went viral, drawing more than 6,400 likes. Residents of other parts of Miami-Dade soon started sharing similar problems in their own neighborhoods.
“How can we live in the United States of America and not be able to walk outside our homes and get our steps in safely?” Garcia said.
Garcia is not alone. Homestead and West Kendall residents also face similar issues, including missing or incomplete sidewalks that force people to walk on streets and bike lanes.
By 2040, Miami-Dade’s Vision Zero initiative aims to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries. The county received $16.2 million in federal funding and a $4.2 million local match over a five-year period to improve safety, conduct road safety audits and support other data-driven programs.
The consequences extend beyond inconvenience.
The risks are significant for transit riders, older adults, individuals with disabilities, parents pushing strollers and others who rely on walking as part of their daily routine.
According to Dangerous by Design 2026, which tracks pedestrian fatalities from 2020 to 2024, Florida ranked fifth among states for pedestrian deaths per capita.
“In a county with limited public transportation, sidewalks are not optional,” said Gabriela Nunez, a mother of three and founder of the family running group Little Legs Run Club. “If people cannot drive and need to walk somewhere, they should at least be able to do so safely.”
Nunez often runs with a stroller and said missing sidewalks frequently force her into the street. She said her running group returns to the same routes because there are few places where sidewalks are continuous and safe enough for strollers and children.
In Homestead, Nunez said sidewalks can suddenly disappear or become uneven, making some routes difficult to navigate.
Armando Rivera, a 26-year-old Publix employee in West Kendall, gets around by walking, taking buses and Uber. He said insufficient sidewalks near his neighborhood sometimes push him into bike lanes.
“Sometimes I have to walk in the bike lane to get home,” Rivera said. “One time I got into a fight with a cyclist because I was in their lane. It’s horrid.”
Rivera said the experience is one reason he is currently working toward getting his driver’s license.
“I’m actually in the process of getting my license because I do not want to die for just walking,” Rivera said.
County transportation officials said residents’ concerns reflect a major safety issue.
“Sidewalk gaps are one of the most direct contributors to pedestrian risk,” the Miami-Dade Department of Transportation and Public Works said. “When a sidewalk ends abruptly, or doesn’t exist at all, people are forced to walk in the roadway or along uneven shoulders, placing them in direct conflict with moving traffic.”
DTPW said it prioritizes sidewalk needs primarily based on safety risks, such as pedestrian activity, proximity to schools and transit stops, and locations where the absence of sidewalks forces individuals to be near active traffic. The department tracks sidewalk needs through public requests, elected official referrals and staff field assessments.
The county has identified 100 high-risk locations for safety planning through Vision Zero. According to Miami-Dade County’s FY 2026–30 transportation plan, the federal Safe Streets and Roads for All grant will fund the design and construction of safety improvements at 24 of those locations, while DTPW conducts planning and preliminary design work for the rest.
Officials also pointed to wide roads built to move large amounts of traffic, speeding and areas where growth has outpaced pedestrian infrastructure as factors contributing to pedestrian safety concerns.
DTPW said it is also working toward a more detailed system to map sidewalk conditions across Miami-Dade that could help determine where future investments are most needed.
On the path that Garcia walked, a City of Miami sign now shows “Citywide Sidewalk Improvements” along NW 11th Street from NW 19th Avenue to NW 21st Avenue. The sign lists the project’s construction cost at $80,000.
During a recent visit, new concrete sidewalk sections were visible in some parts of the corridor, while gaps remained elsewhere.
Garcia previously questioned how sidewalk projects were called “improvements” in places where there were no sidewalks at all.
“You can’t improve something that doesn’t exist,” Garcia said.
