Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Oct 06, 2025

Miami’s New Underline Park Carves a Leafy Pathway Through the Heart of the City

Miami’s New Underline Park Carves a Leafy Pathway Through the Heart of the City

A barren space beneath Miami’s Metrorail tracks has been transformed into a lush landscape for relaxation and recreation.

After years of anticipation and fundraising, the first phase of the Underline in Miami officially opens today. Dubbed Brickell Backyard, the $16.5-million, half-mile project is the first section in what will eventually be a 10-mile-long linear park with 120 acres of open space.



Located in one of the densest areas of Miami-Dade County, Brickell Backyard faced "complicated construction conditions," says Irene Hegedus, Underline project manager at the Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works. In addition to accommodating all transit lines with traffic improvements, the seven-block section required the installation of electrical lines and soil remediation-two of the biggest cost contributors-as part of its transformation into a safe, open public space.

The idea for the project stems from an unfortunate incident-in 2013, Meg Daly broke both of her elbows in a cycling accident. Unable to drive, she began taking the Metrorail to physical therapy and, while walking on a threadbare asphalt path beneath the tracks to the train, wondered if the underutilized space could be transformed into a park for the community.

Inspired by the success of the High Line in New York City, Daly left her job as the owner of a marketing agency to launch The Friends of the Underline, a nonprofit that advocates for the project and has secured over $120 million of funding for construction.



The Underline will include over 30 redesigned crosswalks, separated bike and pedestrian facilities, lighting, and enhanced wayfinding.



Dedicated off-road pathways for cyclists and pedestrians encourage alternative modes of transportation.

"Miami-Dade County is one of the most dangerous places in the country to walk and bike-it’s a young city that is built based on car travel," says Daly. "The Underline is reimagining our streets for all modes of transportation-whether that’s walking, taking mass transit, biking, or driving-which is a task that takes investment and vision."

James Corner Field Operations (JCFO), the design firm behind the High Line, won a competition held by Friends of the Underline to create a framework plan that envisions a sustainable multimodal corridor inspired by the arts, culture, and flora of South Florida and the Miami region.



The planting palette, created in collaboration with Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, focuses on native species that provide habitat for pollinators such as butterflies.

JCFO also designed Brickell Backyard as one of the masterplan’s demonstration projects. Completed in December 2020 after two years of construction, the seven-block northernmost section of the Underline connects the Miami River to Coral Way with a procession of outdoor "rooms," each with unique programming.

The rooms include the River Room with views of the Miami River; the Gym, an active recreation space with sports courts; the Promenade, a public walkway with dedicated pedestrian and bicycle paths punctuated by community-oriented spaces (including a performance plaza and a 50-foot-long communal table); and the Oolite Room, a naturalized area with four butterfly gardens that highlights the existing oolite boulders.



The River Room, located between the Miami River and SW 7th St, provides a lush setting.



Individual tables for chess, checkers, and dominoes are located in the Promenade’s Game Room along the east side of SW 1st Court.

In addition to serving as a linear park and urban trail, the Underline is expected to be a catalyst for economic growth and healthier lifestyles.

"Research has proven that choosing to get around via walking or biking instead of driving can have a bigger impact on one’s health than even going to the gym," notes Daly. "We will also be offering free health and wellness programs along the Underline throughout the year, such as yoga, meditation, basketball, soccer clinics, and more."



A yoga class takes place on the Promenade’s Sound Stage Plaza, sponsored by Florida Power & Light.

"The Underline is truly a 10-mile neighborhood park, in which each section adapts and reflects the neighborhood and community in which it’s situated," continues Daly. "The first half mile responds to its community by offering gathering spaces for families, friends, and pets; an outdoor gym; access to nature with native plants and a butterfly garden; and a sound stage with free cultural, health, and wellness programs.



Phase 1 of the Underline was designed by JCFO. Phases 2 and 3 will use a design/build approach that follows JCFO’s master plan and Brickell Backyard’s design precedents.



The Underline’s custom stencil-styled typeface and spray-painted wayfinding references street art and graffiti.

The second phase, which extends to SW 19th Avenue with a length of 2.14 miles, is currently in the predesign stage headed by LEAD Engineering, and is expected to be completed by 2023. The third phase will add an additional 7 miles, stretching up to Dadeland South Metrorail Station, and completion is slated for 2025. The third phase will be bid out within the next few months.



The three-phase Underline will connect eight Metrorail stations and stretch 10 miles from the Miami River in Brickell to the Dadeland South Metrorail station. The linear park, which is located entirely on county-owned land, will also be the "spine" of a future 250-mile network of cycle and pedestrian trails.

"In planning for the second phase, we heard from the community that the priorities are safety and nature. In Phase 3, which will be near the University of Miami, we will adjust to that community and its needs by providing areas to exercise, play, and socialize."

The Underline is targeting completion by the end of 2025 to meet the deadline set by a $22 million U.S. Department of Transportation grant.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Munich Airport Reopens After Second Drone Shutdown
France Names New Government Amid Political Crisis
Trump Stands Firm in Shutdown Showdown and Declares War on Drug Cartels — Turning Crisis into Opportunity
Surge of U.S. Billionaires Transforms London’s Peninsula Apartments into Ultra-Luxury Stronghold
Pro Europe and Anti-War Babiš Poised to Return to Power After Czech Parliamentary Vote
Jeff Bezos Calls AI Surge a ‘Good’ Bubble, Urges Focus on Lasting Innovation
Japan’s Ruling Party Chooses Sanae Takaichi, Clearing Path to First Female Prime Minister
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sentenced to Fifty Months in Prison Following Prostitution Conviction
Taylor Swift’s ‘Showgirl’ Launch Extends Billion-Dollar Empire
Trump Administration Launches “TrumpRx” Plan to Enable Direct Drug Sales at Deep Discounts
Trump Announces Intention to Impose 100 Percent Tariff on Foreign-Made Films
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Singapore and Hong Kong Vie to Dominate Asia’s Rising Gold Trade
Trump Organization Teams with Saudi Developer on $1 Billion Trump Plaza in Jeddah
Manhattan Sees Surge in Office-to-Housing Conversions, Highest Since 2008
Switzerland and U.S. Issue Joint Assurance Against Currency Manipulation
Electronic Arts to Be Taken Private in Historic $55 Billion Buyout
Thomas Jacob Sanford Named as Suspect in Deadly Michigan Church Shooting and Arson
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
New York Man Arrested After On-Air Confession to 2017 Parents’ Murders
U.S. Defense Chief Orders Sudden Summit of Hundreds of Generals and Admirals
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
Trump Claims FBI Planted 274 Agents at Capitol Riot, Citing Unverified Reports
India: Internet Suspended in Bareilly Amid Communal Clashes Between Muslims and Hindus
Supreme Court Extends Freeze on Nearly $5 Billion in U.S. Foreign Aid at Trump’s Request
Archaeologists Recover Statues and Temples from 2,000-Year-Old Sunken City off Alexandria
China Deploys 2,000 Workers to Spain to Build Major EV Battery Factory, Raising European Dependence
Speed Takes Over: How Drive-Through Coffee Chains Are Rewriting U.S. Coffee Culture
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Ringo Starr Champions Enduring Beatles Legacy While Debuting Las Vegas Art Show
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Colombian President Petro Vows to Mobilize Volunteers for Gaza and Joins List of Fighters
FBI Removes Agents Who Kneeled at 2020 Protest, Citing Breach of Professional Conduct
Trump Alleges ‘Triple Sabotage’ at United Nations After Escalator and Teleprompter Failures
Shock in France: 5 Years in Prison for Former President Nicolas Sarkozy
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
BNP Paribas Abandons Ban on 'Controversial Weapons' Financing Amid Europe’s Defence Push
Typhoon Ragasa Leaves Trail of Destruction Across East Asia Before Making Landfall in China
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Big Banks Rebuild in Hong Kong as Deal Volume Surges
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Arnault Denounces Proposed Wealth Tax as Threat to French Economy
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Denmark Investigates Drone Incursion, Does Not Rule Out Russian Involvement
Lilly CEO Warns UK Is ‘Worst Country in Europe’ for Drug Prices, Pulls Back Investment
Nigel Farage Emerges as Central Force in British Politics with Reform UK Surge
Disney Reinstates ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ after Six-Day Suspension over Charlie Kirk Comments
U.S. Prosecutors Move to Break Up Google’s Advertising Monopoly
×