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Commission adopts sidewalk master plan to fill 436 miles of gaps and prioritize neighborhoods
Summary
The Fort Lauderdale City Commission adopted a data‑driven sidewalk master plan that maps 579 miles of existing sidewalks and 436 miles of gaps, sets a tiered prioritization for neighborhoods and budgets, and directs staff to begin neighborhood outreach and phased design and construction.
The City Commission voted to accept the city’s Sidewalk Master Plan (R2) after a presentation by Transportation & Mobility Director Milos Mastovich and Division Planning Manager Karen Warfl. Staff said the plan is a data‑driven implementation strategy that maps the city’s pedestrian network and prioritizes gaps using metrics such as proximity to schools, transit routes, crash history and equity indicators.
Karen Warfl summarized the baseline: staff consolidated GIS sources and aerial QA/QC and found approximately 579 miles of existing sidewalk and about 436 miles of gaps. The plan divides missing segments into tiers. "We broke it down into tiers so we can manage implementation," Warfl said, showing a citywide map with Tier‑1 segments proposed for near‑term outreach and design.
Funding strategy and next steps: staff highlighted layering of funding — federal and state grants (Safe Routes to School and other programs), CEREX/Resilience grants, existing CIP and potential special obligation financing — and noted more than $20 million in appropriated funds that can begin design and construction. Mastovich said district‑level phasing would start with approximately seven neighborhoods per district to maintain momentum and allow focused engagement.
Commissioners asked for costing assumptions. Staff provided a planning‑level cost estimate ("about $500,000 to $600,000 a mile," public works backup) and emphasized that drainage and landscape conditions increase costs. The commission approved the sidewalk master plan and directed staff to begin neighborhood outreach, feasibility analysis, and to keep progress transparent via an online implementation portal (FortLauderdale.gov/walkmasterplan).
What happens next: Staff will proceed with community outreach in proposed Tier‑1 neighborhoods, perform feasibility and design, and feed projects into the capital projects pipeline for construction funding. The city will track progress using the online portal so residents can monitor completed segments and active projects.
