A 10-mile walking and linear park in Miami, scheduled for completion in 2026, will feature bioswales for stormwater retention, hydration and bike repair stations, free Wi-Fi and more, Ysabelle Kempe reports in Smart Cities Dive.
The so-called Underline runs under the elevated tracks of the Miami Metrorail. According to Patrice Gillespie Smith, CEO of Friends of The Underline: “What I really admire about The Underline and what Meg [Daly]our founder, did this, instead of trying to put everything on one street in a fairly car-centric community, she identified an underused space and said our multimodal path can go there, but also [be] a linear park.”
Smith adds: “It is primarily a transportation corridor. In most cases, on the multimodal path, the cycling element is separated from the pedestrian element.” The project includes recreational areas such as a 50-foot-long “dining room table” where people can gather with friends and neighbors.
Smith says the project is also critical for dealing with extreme storm events. “The bioswales will ensure that the water slows down, is cleaned and can return to the aquifer purified. The aquifer is our source of drinking water and is therefore very important.”