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Miami might soon have a 10-mile world-class linear park thanks to the efforts of various city partners, university students, community members, and a newly formed non-profit organization.
According to a blog post from Friends of the Underline, the organization that’s spearheading the initiative, the idea for this linear park first came from the group’s founder Meg Daly, who one day realized that land beneath the city’s metrorail was underutilized.
“The vision is to connect eight transit stations to one linear park,” said Daly, in the blog.
Originally the proposed linear park, was called the Greenlink, but now the park is being called The Underline. Plans for the new trail include widening the trail to 20-feet, as well as adding lighting, landscaping, and water fountains.
In Spring 2014, a group of 10 architecture students from the University of Miami (UM) worked on concepts for the proposed park. This fall another group of students will be investigating what kind of economic impact the trail might have on the surrounding community.
“The economic impact of urban green spaces and bike and walking trails is documented. But the GreenLink’s [Underline’s] impact on Miami’s southern corridor will be transformational,” said Andrea Heuson, a professor of finance at UM. “Our students will participate in a change-making initiative for the community.”
According to a MiamiToday news article, the land adjacent to the metrorail is currently of lesser value than properties that are located just two blocks away from the rail line. Adding a linear park would help increase the value of these properties.
On Oct. 7, a draft resolution in support of the park will go before the city commission. If approved, the mayor’s office will have 60 days to complete a study, describing how the project should be realized, according to the MiamiToday article.
Between September 16- November 16th visitors can visit an exhibit about the Underline and provide input, at HistoryMiami, a Smithsonian affiliated museum in downtown Miami.
To learn more about this project, visit the links below:
Miami Today: 10-mile Linear Park Gets New Look
See examples of what the park might look like by clicking here.
By The Numbers
33
percent
of Latinos live within walking distance (<1 mile) of a park
