The Underline Project, a 10-mile linear park,bike and pedestrian trail and public art and cultural destination that will extend under the Metrorail from the Miami River to Dadeland South, was awarded a federal BUILD grant from the Department of Transportation in the amount of $22,360,552. Approximately 33% of the project is in the City of Coral Gables and sets to enhance the recreational space within the City and will also provide numerous benefits to the surrounding community.
The grant will fund the design and construction of enhancements to the10-mile multi-modal corridor including separated bike and pedestrian facilities, lighting, way finding, and intersection safety improvements.
Coral Gables Vice Mayor Vince Lago states, “We are proud the Underline Project will finally be coming to fruition, I have worked with Meg Daly, Founder of the Friends of The Underline for many years and I am excited to be able to deliver a world-class project in my community.”
On October 2014, Vice Mayor Lago sponsored Resolution No. 2014-220 which authorized the City Manager to allocate $50,000 to the Friends of the Underline paid from City of Coral Gables Impact fees. To expedite the project in December 2017, Vice Mayor Lago sponsored Resolution No. 2017-357 to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with Miami-Dade County and allows the City to assist in the funding of The Underline Project up to $15 million dollars utilizing parks and mobility impact fees collected from new development projects.
The $22 million-dollar grant, combined with the funds collected from the City of Coral Gables, will finish the construction funding needed for the entire Coral Gables portion of the Underline Project.
On November 12, 2019 at 1:45 pm in Coral Gables City Hall Commission Chambers (405 Biltmore Way), Vice Mayor Vince Lago and Meg Daly, Founder of Friends of The Underline, will make a formal public announcement in response to receiving the $22 million-dollar grant.
This is great news. It should become a great place for families to bike together. Now we need bike lanes coming from North and South Gables to connect safely to the Underline.
Congratulations! This will be the only safe place to ride a bike in the Gables. To make this project a true success, build connections to it and then become a World Class and Sustainable City.
This is great news. I’m very supportive of this project. I look forward to being able to use the linear park one day. I have a question though – how will I be able to access the Underline? There is no parking, no bike lanes and disconnected sidewalks between the Underline and anywhere in our City.
Hi! Love your blog, just missing more of those old insides on new restaurants being planned, real estate, etc… the underline news are great but have been in the herald for 3 days now. Keep the good work going!