Enhancing Mobility for More Viable Communities
Posted July 23, 2025
Communities across the United States are collaborating with multiple partners to enhance and promote pedestrian and bicycle usage along their major transportation routes. There are many compelling reasons and tangible benefits for accommodating these alternative modes of mobility. Walking and biking can improve both physical and mental health and foster community by making neighborhoods more livable and connected.
Other benefits range from reducing traffic congestion to lessening an impact on the environment. These include reducing carbon emissions and creating a cleaner environment while fostering economic growth. When communities bustle with pedestrian traffic, they can attract new businesses, such as restaurants and retailers.
When safety for biking and walking becomes a priority, with amenities such as dedicated bike lanes, pedestrian paths and ADA-compliant curbs, biking and walking become a way of life in a community. These mobility enhancements open transportation routes to people of all abilities, encouraging families to explore their communities and all they have to offer.
South Florida’s Broward County, the second most populous in the state, encompasses several major metropolitan areas, including Fort Lauderdale, Miramar and Hollywood. The Broward County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) has placed a high priority on enhancing mobility along the county’s major transportation routes. One example is the range of improvements implemented on SR 817 and University Drive from Riviera Boulevard to SR 824/Pembroke Road in Miramar.
CHA Consulting, Inc., guided a range of enhancements for the MPO mobility project on this route. These were designed to boost pedestrian, bicycle and traffic safety and improve transit operations along the route. Construction on this project began in February 2022.
One of the key improvements included the addition of bicycle lanes, achieved by milling, resurfacing and widening the existing road. The project also involved installing new drainage systems, curbs and gutters. Enhancements to improve the route for pedestrians included widening the sidewalks and installing ADA-compliant curb ramps. While wider sidewalks can accommodate more pedestrians, they are also more welcoming to wheelchairs, strollers and other mobility aids. Wider sidewalks reduce the risk of bottlenecks, encourage smoother flow and make a community safer and more comfortable for everyone.