Phases

Miami
Miami River to SW 13th Street (Coral Way)

About Phase 1: The first phase of The Underline opened to the public on Friday, February 26, 2021. Named the “Brickell Backyard,” this first segment of the 10-mile linear park and trail is half a mile long and runs from the Miami River to Coral Way, encompassing the northernmost portion of The Underline.

The design for the Brickell Backyard by Field Operations is organized by a procession of “rooms,” each articulated with a unique program and design intent that directly responds to its immediate context and to the needs of the local community.

Goals and Priorities: Phase 1 is built on three key drivers: safe multi-modal transportation; nature; and community. Safety: safe biking and walking paths, lighting and improved crosswalks; Nature: native vegetation including trees, plants and grasses that support The Underline master plan for landscaping with a focus on pollinators supporting birds, bees and butterflies. Part of pre-construction efforts include soil remediation and botanical tree tagging for existing healthy trees. Community: From engaging public art to hundreds of free community programs, The Underline is a platform for community and everyone is welcome here.

Amenity areas:
The River Room, offers a unique vantage point to views of the Miami River and includes butterfly gardens and a dog-friendly area, and much needed meditative, open, green space for residents and their pets (between Miami River and SW 7th St)
The Urban Gym, an active recreation space sponsored by Baptist Health South Florida with flex court for half court basketball and mini-pitch soccer sponsored by Swire Properties has spectator seating and areas for strength training and stretching, and spaces for group classes. A running track wraps around the Urban Gym with a 14-foot fence (between SW 7th and SW 8th Street)
The Promenade, a public walkway with pedestrian and bicycle dedicated paths punctuated by a series of rooms that promote social interaction (between SW 8th St and SW 10th St/Brickell Metrorail Station)
● Game Room with individual tables for chess, checkers and dominoes lines the area along the east side of SW 1st Court.
● Dining room features a 50-foot long communal table seats up to 50 people faces SW 1st Avenue.
● Sound Stage and Plaza sponsored by Florida Power & Light provides comfortable places to gather for community events and programs or a space to watch the activity on The Underline.
The Oolite Room, a lush naturalized area featuring four butterfly gardens with seating of oolite boulders surround the dedicated bicycle and pedestrian paths, which run between the existing large oolite stone formations and directly beneath the Metrorail (between SW 12th St and SW 13th St)

Features: Phase 1 features numerous amenity areas that connect to the Brickell Metrorail and Metromover stations with numerous free community programs. Plus green infrastructure and below ground drainage that help with stormwater flooding and runoff. Other notable project components include:
– The addition of 30,000 native plants and trees
– (Canopy removed: 195,858 square feet, Canopy replaced: 266,700 square feet)
– Resting and seating areas along the paths with oolitic limestone boulders and seat walls
– Hydration stations
– Bike repair station at the Urban Gym
– Bike racks
– Dog friendly with doggie bag dispensers
– Trash and recycling receptacles
– LED lighting
– Free WiFi service
– Public art
– Numerous free public events, cultural, educational and health and wellness programs.

Length
0.5 miles

Progress
Open

Total Construction Cost
$16,524,258 

Design
Field Operations

Miami-Dade County Contractor
Central Pedrail

Construction Funding
$7,688,760 Miami-Dade County
$1,944,000 FDOT TAP Grant
$2,000,000 State of Florida
$4,871,690 City of Miami
$19,808 FDOT

Management, Maintenance & Programs
The Underline Conservancy 501(c)3, a public/private non-profit, is responsible for trash collection and recycling, facilities and garden maintenance, lighting, water and free programs. Miami-Dade County provides security services. Funding is provided by Miami-Dade County and Friends of The Underline from private contributions, sponsorship and grants as well as in-kind services.

Miami
SW 13th Street to SW 19th Avenue

About Phase 2: Named “Hammock Trail”, Phase 2 of The Underline is a 2.14-mile segment that connects SW 13th St. to SW 19th Ave. Construction began Fall 2021 and was completed in April of 2024.

Amenities: There are three amenity areas in Phase 2: Hammock Playground, Vizcaya Station Plaza, and the Rain Garden. See images amenities here.

Goals and Priorities: After numerous presentations, public meetings, surveys and community feedback, the top priorities are safety, nature, and community. Safety: safe biking and walking paths, lighting and improved crosswalks; Nature: native vegetation including trees, plants and grasses that support The Underline master plan restoration of the Pine Rockland, Hardwood Hammock, Pollinator and Wet Prairie ecosystems; Community: From public art to hundreds of free community programs, The Underline is a platform for community gathering and making new connections. Everyone is welcome here.

Features: Phase 2 features the project’s first of many bioswales, green infrastructure and below ground drainage that will help with stormwater flooding and runoff. Other notable project components include:

– The addition of 100,000 native plants and trees to attract butterflies, bees and birds including 1,000 trees.
– 36% increase in tree shade canopy Tree canopy increase: 36%*
(Canopy removed: 195,858 square feet, Canopy replaced: 266,700 square feet)
– Resting areas along the path with oolitic limestone boulders or benches
– Hydration stations at the amenity areas
– Bike repair station at Vizcaya Metrorail station
– Bike racks at all amenity areas.
– Dog friendly with doggie bag dispensers at each amenity area and pet water bowls.
– Trash and recycling receptacles.
– LED lighting that is Dark Sky compliant.
– Green infrastructure: Bioswale native landscaping with natural infiltration planting.
– Free WiFi service at the Vizcaya and Simpson Park Playground areas.
– Public art
– Programmable areas for numerous public events, cultural, educational and health and wellness programs.
– Soil remediation as needed by area

Length
2.14 miles

Progress
Open

Public Meetings & Webinar
Public Meeting #1 12/9/20 presentation here and Poll results here.
Public Meeting #2 5/25/21 presentation here and Poll results here.
Public meeting via Webinar Landscape meeting #3 1/19/22 presentation here.

Phase 2 Fact Sheet here

Construction Updates
For construction advisories, please visit the Miami-Dade County Underline page here.

Total Construction Cost
$20,115,110

Miami-Dade County Contractor
Lead Construction

Link to Miami-Dade County Underline Phase 2 page here

Contacts:
Underline Phase 2 Construction information: theunderline@miamidade.gov

Construction Funding
$8,572,243, State of Florida
$8,000,000, Miami-Dade County
$3,572,243 City of Miami

Miami, Coral Gables, South Miami, Unincorporated Miami-Dade County
SW 19th Avenue to Dadeland South Metrorail Station

About Phase 3:
Phase 3 of The Underline is a 7.36-mile segment that connects SW 19th Ave to its southern terminus at the Dadeland South Metrorail station Kiss and Ride Facility. The construction contract between Miami-Dade County and NV2A Central Joint Venture was approved for award by the Board of County Commission on October 18th, 2022

Goals and Priorities: Phase 3 is built on three key drivers: safe multi-modal transportation, nature, and community. These priorities were created through a series of public and community input meetings during the Master Plan, Phase 1 and Phase 2 design processes.
Safety: safe biking and walking paths, lighting and improved crosswalks;
Nature: native vegetation including trees, plants and grasses that support The Underline master plan restoration of the Pine Rockland, Hardwood Hammock, Pollinator and Wet Prairie ecosystems plus numerous Microforests pioneered by the Miyawake afforestation method;
Community:there will be numerous areas for hundreds of free community programs and events plus engaging public art.

Amenities: There are 12 planned amenity areas that were presented and reviewed at 9 public meetings.

Grove Gallery: Miami: SW 24th Avenue to SW 27th Avenue

The Grove Gallery brings a pop-up market concept to Miami’s Coconut Grove and Golden Pine neighborhoods and will be programmed with a variety of market options. The Grove Gallery will also include a Bocce Ball court, picnic seating and a designated area for public art. 

The Underline Plaza: Miami: Directly south of the LINK at Douglas/Douglas Metrorail Station

The Underline Plaza is directly adjacent to the Douglas Metrorail Station and the LINK at Douglas in the City of Miami and will feature local food vendors representative of Bahamian, Haitian and Latin heritage, temporary public art, and an “urban beach” to lounge under beach umbrellas. 

Bark Park: Coral Gables: Ponce de Leon Blvd. by SW 42nd St and Grand Ave

Underline visitors love their pets!  Nearly 60% of our guests have a dog and the entire facility is dog friendly. The Bark Park in Coral Gables is fenced with designated areas for both large and small dogs and an agility course 

Fitness Room: Coral Gables: on Ponce de Leon Blvd behind Fire Station

The Underline Fitness Room focuses on health and wellness with outdoor exercise equipment and basketball with a half basketball and body weight exercise equipment. 

Water Balcony: The Coral Gables Waterway at Riviera Drive

This new pedestrian and cycling bridge over the Coral Gables Waterway is funded by a Federal grant awarded to Miami Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works and includes seating areas to pause and take in the canal views. A kayak launch, planned by the Miami Dade County Parks Department will provide kayak access at a future date.

Rain Gardens: Coral Gables: Ponce de Leon Blvd between Donatello Street and Orduna Drive

The Rain Gardens are natural flood mitigation systems, temporarily collecting stormwater in rocky shallow areas and utilizing multiple sediment layers to filter out pollutants. The depressed rock gardens manage stormwater and filter it as it seeps into the aquifer. Additional features include insect hotels, bird houses, and elevated pathways to encourage the exploration of this innovative systems. 

Stormwater Ponds: Coral Gables: Donatello Street and Granada Blvd.

The Stormwater Ponds will be an interconnected network of shallow planted depressions, also known as bioretention ponds. These ponds will naturally guide, absorb, and allow stormwater from the Metrorail and nearby areas to percolate back into the aquifer. These spaces will be heavily planted with native vegetation encouraging people to reconnect with nature, understand their environmental impact, and enjoy the outdoors. There is a designated area for public art. 

Pineland Courts: Coral Gables: near Carillo Street and University of Miami 

The Pineland Court complex offers four pickleball courts and one regulation-size basketball court, along with other amenities including seating areas, drinking fountains and ample bike parking.   The courts will be surrounded by Pine Rockland plantings providing shade and connection to nature.  The court complex will be fenced, lit in the evenings and free year round. 

Rock Ridge Plaza: Coral Gables: Stanford Drive entrance to the University of Miami

The Rock Ridge Plaza is a flexible space for performances and educational events directly in front of the University of Miami and the University Metrorail station. The Plaza will include spaces of various scales with amphitheater-style seating nestled within lush native planting including several Micro-forests. Meandering paths will connect to The Underline’s designated biking and walking urban trails.  The Rock Ridge Plaza will be an ideal space for performances, hosting events, and outdoor education.

The U-Skate Park: Coral Gables: Ponce De Leon and Red Road

The neighborhood skate park will be approximately 10,000 square feet and include a “flow plaza” type of agility course for skateboarders of all levels.  The flexible plaza will also provide opportunities for other types of community programming including “bike rodeos” and other skills programs.  Located near the South Miami Metrorail Station and the University of Miami, the U-Skate Park provides an accessible amenity for nearby residents or users from throughout Miami-Dade County.  

Play Forest: South Miami: City Hall 

The Play Forest is a natural playscape that encourages exploration and play for kids of all ages.  Nestled among existing, mature canopy trees, the space is organized around a discovery circuit that includes log tunnels and balance beams to stimulate motor skills, chime and percussion instruments encouraging creativity and meandering plus stepping log trails to explore this unique tropical garden of curiosity and wonder.

Butterfly Gardens: South Miami: between SW 67th Avenue and SW 80th Street

The Underline will be a 10-mile long pollinator corridor, extending the path of the monarch butterfly, which already crosses the Miami area.  This area provides habitat for birds, bees and butterflies, supporting both the environment and mobility.  The butterfly garden in this area provides ample seating for bike ride meetups and educational opportunities for children.

About Micro-forests: The Underline will feature a number of Micro-forests, an innovative reforestation approach pioneered by Akira Miyawaki. These compactly planted micro-forests consist of a wide array of native South Florida plant species working together to form a rich, multi-layered forest environment. Through the Miyawaki reforestation method, trees grow ten times faster, resulting in a forest that is twenty times more biodiverse and thirty times denser compared to conventional reforestation methods. The Underline is leading the way in introducing this planting technique to South Florida. 

Scope of Work:
This project involves the completion of The Underline from SW 19th Avenue to its terminus near the Dadeland South Metrorail Station Kiss and Ride Facility. The Underline, upon completion of this contract, will be a 10-mile linear mobility corridor below the Metrorail. Design-Build services for the Project are required for 7.36 miles of improvements running within or parallel to Miami-Dade County Metrorail’s Right-of-Way (ROW) and sometimes within adjacent municipality ROW that includes separate paved off-street bicycle and pedestrian paths, two pedestrian/bicycle bridges over small waterways/canals, native landscaping, site furniture and equipment, wayfinding signage, pavement markings, intersection improvements, lighting, drainage, environmental remediation, Wi-Fi and security infrastructure, and reconfiguration of parking lots. Services will include, but are not limited to: civil, landscaping, electrical, and drainage design, surveys, geotechnical, permitting, signage, leading public meetings, including their coordination and participation, coordination of all utilities with the Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW), Water and Sewer Department and utility companies, soil remediation, air monitoring plan, air monitoring during construction, reporting, dust control plan, health and safety plan, soils management plan and documents required by the Department of Environmental Resources Management’s Pollution Remediation Section, coordination of aspects of the design with the DTPW, Friends of The Underline, City of Miami, City of Coral Gables, City of South Miami and Miami-Dade County, construction and any ancillary tasks necessary to design and build the Project and comply with the commitments submitted to the Federal Transit Administration in the project’s National Environmental Policy Act checklist.

Tree protection, relocation, or replacement: Part of pre-construction efforts include the removal and relocation of trees along the Phase 3 segment. In preparation for this work, trees that remain are protected by orange fencing. For trees being relocated or replaced, informational tags with QR codes will be on those trees prior to any project work.

Features: Phase 3 will also feature numerous bioswales, green infrastructure and below ground drainage that will help with stormwater flooding and runoff. Other notable project components include:
– The addition of 400,000 native plants and trees to attract butterflies, bees and birds including 3,000 trees.
– Resting areas along the path with oolitic limestone boulders or benches.
– Hydration stations at the amenities.
– Bike repair stations in various locations.
– Bike racks at all amenity areas.
– Dog friendly with doggie bag dispensers at each amenity area and pet water bowls.
– Trash and recycling receptacles throughout the corridor.
– LED lighting that is Dark Sky compliant.
– Green infrastructure: Bioswale native landscaping with natural infiltration planting.
– Free WiFi service
– Public art
– Programmable areas for numerous public events, cultural, educational and health and wellness programs.
– A micromobility hub.
– Improvements to 24 intersections along US1

Length
7.36 miles

Progress
Project Awarded to Design/Build Team: NV2A Central Joint Venture, Contract # CIP235-DTPW20-DB on 10/18/2022 by the Miami Dade Board of County Commission.
Total Work days from Notice to Proceed 973 days

Total Construction Cost
$92,975,389.50

Public Meetings
Phase 3 Public Meeting Cycle #1
Thursday, December 8, 2022, 6:30-8 PM Vizcaya Village Garage: meeting recording here.
Saturday, December 10, 2022, 10-11:30 AM Coral Gables Museum: meeting recording here.
Public Meeting Cycle #1 final report here.

Phase 3 Public Meeting Cycle #2
Wednesday, May 31, 2023, 6:30-8 PM South Miami City Hall
Thursday, June 1, 2023, 6:30-8 PM Temple Judea, Coral Gables
Saturday, June 3, 2023, 10-11:30 AM Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church of Miami, Coconut Grove

Meeting recording here.
Phase 3 Public Meeting Cycle #2 Presentation Materials here. 
Media Kit, Phase 3 Renderings, and Fact Sheet here.
Public Meeting Cycle #2 final report here.

Phase 3 Public Meeting Cycle #3
Tuesday, October 10, 2023 6:30-8 PM
Coral Gables Museum
Wednesday, October 11, 2023 6:30-8 PM
Boys & Girls Club of Miami-Dade, Hank Kline Club

Construction Updates
For construction advisories, please visit the Miami-Dade County Underline Phase 3 page here.

Construction Funding:
$50,549,394.50 Miami-Dade County
$22,360,552 – USDOT Build Program
$7,585,443 City of Miami Park Impact Fees
$7,380,000 City of Coral Gables Park & Mobility Impact Fees
$4,500,000 FDOT
$600,000 Developer Fees/Contributions