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Underline

Phase 1

Phase 1 of The Underline - Brickell Backyard – is now open.

This half-mile segment of The Underline runs from the Miami River to SW 13th Street and includes the Metrorail and Metromover Brickell Stations. Construction of Brickell Backyard started in December 2018 and opened February 2021.

Brickell Backyard cost $ 16,524,133 million with funds from The State of Florida, Miami-Dade County, and the City of Miami.

This phase of The Underline features urban biking and walking paths, flex basketball and soccer court, outdoor gym, nature, and butterfly gardens, gathering spaces to eat, play, discover and relax.

For those visiting, Brickell Backyard offers access to the following areas:

The River Room

The northern terminus of the 10-mile Underline, the River Room connects to the Miami River Greenway at the Miami River and SW 7th Street. With a rolling topography of native grasses and pollinator plants, this city block is the place for dogs and their owners to rest and play—right on the riverfront.

The Urban Gym

Located between SW 7th and 8th Streets, exercise with friends or solo in an outdoor gym complete with a flex court for half-court basketball, mini pitch soccer, fitness equipment, running track, and more.

The Promenade

The Promenade between SW 8th Street and the Brickell Metrorail station features community gathering spaces including a sound stage and plaza for health & wellness, cultural and educational programs, communal dining table, tables for board games, and the Station Grove, a seating area at the Brickell Metrorail station entrance.

The Oolite Room

Stretching two blocks from the Brickell Metromover station to Coral Way and carved from native oolite rock from Miami’s Rock Ridge, the Oolite Room is nestled in a natural canyon of stone with four butterfly gardens and meditative spaces.

For more information about events and amenities, visit Friends of The Underline

Phase 2

Phase 2 of The Underline is expected to be completed in the summer of 2023.

Phase 2 is a 2.14-mile segment that connects SW 13th Street to SW 19th Avenue. Construction began Fall 2021.

The three amenity areas in the plan for Phase 2, are the Simpson Park Playground Area, Vizcaya Station Plaza, and 17th Avenue Plaza.

Phase 2 is built on three key drivers: safe multi-modal transportation, nature, and community. After two public meetings, many presentations, surveys, and community feedback, two of the main public interests are: having safe biking and walking paths, access to nature that features native vegetation, including trees, plants, and grass.

Notable project components

Phase 2 will also feature the project's first of many bioswales, green infrastructure that will help with stormwater flooding and runoff.

Other notable project components include:

Resting areas along the path with boulders or benches
Hydration stations
Bike repair station at Vizcaya Metrorail station
Bike racks
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
WiFi service at the Vizcaya and Simpson Park Playground areas
Public art
Programmable areas for events, cultural, educational and health and wellness programs
The addition of native trees and plants to attract butterflies, bees and birds.

The total project cost for Phase 2 is $20,115,110 with funds from The State of Florida, Miami-Dade County, and the City of Miami.

Landscaping: Native plants and tree

One of the main focuses of The Underline project is the repopulation of native plants and trees that support the Hardwood Hammock, Pine Rockland, Pollinator and Wet Prairie ecosystems.

Tree removal/replacement quick numbers:
- Total number of trees being removed: 331
- Total number of trees being relocated: 108
- Total number of trees not affected/to remain: 483
- Total number of trees planted 537
- Total number of palms planted: 399
- Total number of large shrubs that will eventually grow into trees proposed: 191
DTPW is planting about four times the amount of the trees that are being removed.
Once construction for Phase 2 is completed, more than 1,000 native trees will be added to the area.
Tree removal and replacement is expected to take place the first two weeks of November 2021. The pre-construction work includes preparing the area for the removal of select trees. Crews will begin in the area of SW 19th Avenue to SW 17th Avenue and continue accordingly along the corridor.
The trees designated for removal are either in poor condition or too close to the nearby Metrorail train tracks and the future paths.
Trees along the M-Path underneath Miami’s Metrorail tracks have been surveyed and catalogued. Every effort is made to save existing trees along the corridor that are healthy and well established.
The survey, field observations, and analysis includes reviewing the following:
- The trees’ location in regards to proximity to adjacent streets and the vehicular recovery areas
- The size of the tree’s root system and potential impact to the tree if placing our paths on top of them or too close to them
- The tree’s health
- The type of pruning they have received, which oftentimes makes the trees unstable and could lead to cracking and falling
- Whether or not the trees are co-dominant (two or more stems or leaders that are about the same diameter and emerge from the same location on the main trunk) which, as the tree gets older, is likely to split and fall
- The tree’s height and proximity in relationship to the Metrorail guideway
- Whether they are invasive exotic species

Phase 3

Phase 3 of The Underline is a 7.36-mile segment that connects SW 19th Ave near the Vizcaya Metrorail station to the Dadeland South Metrorail station. The entire segment links various communities including City of Miami, Coral Gables, South Miami, and Unincorporated Miami-Dade County.

On October 18th, 2022, Miami-Dade County awarded the construction contract to NV2A Central Joint Venture. The total estimated construction cost for Phase 3 is $109 million.

Phase 3 will be 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, and the Phase 1 and Phase 2 design process.

Nature

Phase 3 will feature numerous bioswales, green infrastructure, and below-ground drainage that will help with stormwater flooding and runoff.

It will also feature 400,000 native vegetation including 3,000 trees, plants and grasses that support The Underline master plan restoration of the Pine Rockland, Hardwood Hammock, Pollinator and Wet Prairie ecosystems.

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
Other notable project components include:
- Safe biking and walking paths, lighting, and improved crosswalks
- Resting areas along the path with oolitic limestone boulders or benches
- Hydration stations in the amenity areas
- Bike racks and repair stations in various locations
- Dog-friendly features at each amenity area
- Trash and recycling receptacles throughout the corridor
- LED lighting that is Dark Sky compliant
- Green infrastructure: Bioswale native landscaping with natural infiltration planting
- Free Wi-Fi service
- Public art
- Programmable areas for numerous public events, cultural, educational, and health and wellness programs
- Micromobility hub
- Improvements to 24 intersections along US1
Timeline

Phase 3 is expected to be completed in 2026. Once all three phases are completed, The Underline will be Miami-Dade County’s first true mobility corridor uniting all modes of transportation and enhancing accessibility to eight Metrorail stations within its path and the neighboring communities.