Currently in the construction, procurement and design phases, The Underline will serve as a gateway to adjacent communities by tapping into the unique identities of each adjoining neighborhood and by providing distinctive landscaping, amenities, art and programs relevant to each community. The project will also offer improved access north, south, east, and west, as well as an off-road safe haven to improve walking and biking safety. Inspired by South Florida and the Miami region, The Underline will become a significant social and civic spine for the area that will foster community, enhance value, and encourage recreation and healthy living. It will facilitate connectivity and social exchange, connecting people to their surroundings and each other.
| Infrastructure Type | Railway |
| Status | In Construction |
| Opening | To be determined |
| Size | 120 acres, 10 miles |
| Design Team | James Corner Field Operations |
| Management | Managed by Friends of The Underline in partnership with Miami-Dade County, FDOT, Federal Transit Authority, and three municipalities |
Ambitious plans for construction of the Underline, a 10-mile-long “linear park” for people on foot and on bikes that would run beneath the elevated Metrorail tracks, got a significant lift with the announcement Wednesday of a $22.3 million federal grant for the project.
To promote The Underline’s success as a world-class public space that connects and inspires the community, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation announced a new $925,000 investment in the development of a technology master plan and expanded professional expertise.
The Underline, a 10-mile linear park below Miami’s MetroRail, has the potential to make the city more equitable by prioritizing affordable housing initiatives so everyone can benefit from the amenity. Several “rails-to-trails” projects around the U.S., like The BeltLine and the High Line, have grappled with concerns of lessened affordability and increased gentrification—and the Underline will have to grapple with it as well.
