Who thinks we can make Miami one of the safest cities to walk and ride in the country? This guy.
Eli Stiers is an avid cyclist and Miami transplant from Alabama who has been advocating for safer bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure throughout Miami-Dade County for more than a decade.
He’s also a trial attorney.
In 2014, Eli helped changed state law by co-writing the Aaron Cohen Life Protection Act, a proposal that was created in memory of a Miami cyclist killed by a hit-and-run driver in 2012. The bill created tougher penalties for drivers who leave the scene of a fatal accident, and was passed by the Florida Senate with a unanimous vote.
Eli continues to fight for safer pedestrian and bicyclist infrastructure by joining with organizations that are committed to transforming Miami-Dade County’s transportation infrastructure, like Friends of the Underline, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, and the Ludlam Trail Group.
“You have to build the infrastructure for people to use it,” he says. “If you build it, they will ride. If you build it, they will walk. If you build it, they’ll hop on a scooter.”
His advocacy efforts have encouraged the county’s Transportation Planning Organization to study ways to connect bike and pedestrian paths as part of its strategic planning.
You can follow @MiamiBikeLawyer on Twitter to stay up to date with Eli’s advocacy efforts and the future of transportation in Miami-Dade County.