City Of Miami Awarded $60.35M Grant From Department of Transportation
Published on March 14, 2024
The City of Miami proudly announces that it has been awarded a significant grant of $60,353,730.00 from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods (RCN) Grant Program. The grant awarded in FY2023 under the the Neighborhood Access and Equity program initiative. The project has total estimated cost of $82,653,730.00.
“The I-395 Underdeck and Heritage Trail project not only corrects a longstanding injustice. It provides a degree of beauty, vibrancy, connectivity, prosperity, mobility, and recreation that any world-class city would envy,” said Mayor Francis X. Suarez. “Our city is grateful beyond measure to Senator Marco Rubio for his support and advocacy towards this project.”
The "Connecting Miami: I-395 Underdeck and Heritage Trail" project will create a planned public landscape beneath the elevated I-395 highway viaducts. Spanning 33 acres, this urban open space and streetscape will reunite the urban fabric of Overtown, a historically Black neighborhood that was fragmented during highway construction in the 1960s. A mile-long "Heritage Trail" will extend across active rail tracks, linking Overtown to Biscayne Bay.
The Underdeck will offer a safe environment for various recreational activities such as walking, jogging, biking, and scooting, thereby promoting non-vehicular transportation options. Additionally, it aims to enhance the quality of life, economic vitality, and social equity for all residents by establishing an environmentally sustainable and resilient urban landscape.
"I am encouraged that we are moving forward to curate this space in a way that is considerate and respectful of the people and neighborhoods that suffered the ills of a community-disrupting highway. I am committed to revitalizing the historic Overtown community, seeing it prosper once again economically, culturally, and socially." Said Chairwoman Commissioner Christine King.
The City of Miami expresses its gratitude to the U.S. Department of Transportation for its support and investment in this transformative project, which holds the promise of revitalizing communities and fostering connectivity and inclusivity.