Miami-Dade is setting the stage for the future of urban transport by hosting the NACTO Designing Cities Conference 2024. During a four-day span, from May 7 to May 10, over a thousand professionals in the field of transportation and urban planning will descend on Miami to swap ideas and collaborate on the latest innovations in the sector. The InterContinental Miami will host this event, marking the first time the southeastern United States will serve as the backdrop for such pivotal discussions on safety, climate, equity, sustainable growth, and regional collaboration.
History was made in 2016 when Miami-Dade became the first county to join NACTO, an accomplishment that reflects its commitment to advancing transportation. According to the official press release, Miami-Dade doesn't just talk the talk but walks the walk with the largest transit system in Florida and the 15th largest in the nation. Now they're leading the charge, once again, by bringing together experts including Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and DTPW Director Eulois Cleckley to discuss and deliberate on the future of urban mobility.
The roster of speakers reads like a who's who of transportation thought leaders. Names include Deputy Secretary of USDOT Polly Trottenberg, international transportation expert Janette Sadik-Khan, and SFMTA Executive Director Jeffrey Tumlin, among others. National expert on race, equity, and transportation Tamika Butler and former Director of Transportation and Drainage for the City of Houston, Veronica Davis, will also lend their voices to the cause, ensuring a comprehensive tally of perspectives is heard.
It's not all talk at this conference, attendees will also have the chance to participate in "walkshops," on-site interactive workshops that put policy into practice on the streets of Miami-Dade. A varied lineup of local and regional tours are set, such as a journey through the historic Overtown neighborhood or a visit to The Underline, Miami's ambitious project for a 10-mile linear park. These exploratory sessions are designed to fuel creativity and spark real-world solutions for the attendees to bring back to their communities, and highlighting the host county's advancements in transportation and urban planning initiatives.
The event ties into a broader narrative of Miami-Dade's investment in progress and expansion of transportation infrastructure. It’s evident in the strides they've taken to enlarge and enhance transit services, an effort that the community and its leaders hope will pay forward through enhanced safety, bolstered climate resilience, and a strengthened sense of equity across the board. With such a diverse group of visionaries at the helm, this conference is shaping up to be an essential milestone for the future of cities everywhere, a future that promises a smooth ride ahead.
