MIAMI – The U.S. Department of Transportation has allocated $60 million for the $82 million I-395 Underdeck and Heritage Trail project in Miami.
The project, a partnership between the state and the city of Miami, aims to create a public space beneath the redesigned I-395 as part of a major bridge project. Renderings depict a 33-acre urban open space with streetscapes.
Miami Commissioner Christine King says the construction of the original I-395 and I-95 highways have decimated the historically black Overtown community.
“This project means everything to me,” she said. “Getting it right means everything to our community.”
King and other city leaders envision the Underdeck as a space that will benefit the community and serve as a unifying landscape destination for Miami. The project includes plans for a mile-long Heritage Trail, connecting neighborhoods across active rail tracks from Overtown to Biscayne Bay.
“We are going to make sure this space is respectful of the people who live in that community who suffered, and who will now reap the benefits of getting this space right,” King affirmed.
“This is going to be a safe space where you can bring your children, where you can relax and I’m so proud to lead the charge for the space,” she added.
According to Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, this is the largest grant the city of Miami has ever received in its history.
The remaining funding for the Underdeck will come from the State Department of Transportation and the city of Miami.