Thanks to Miami’s Downtown Development Authority for endorsing The Underline!

RESOLUTION NO. 37/2014

A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE MIAMI DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (“DDA”) OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA EXPRESSING THE DDA’S SUPPORT FOR “THE UNDERLINE” LINEAR PARK AND TRAIL LOCATED BENEATH MIAMI’S METRORAIL FROM THE MIAMI RIVER TO DADELAND SOUTH STATION; AND FURTHER ENCOURAGING FRIENDS OF THE UNDERLINE, MAIMI-DADE COUNTY, THE CITY OF MIAMI AND ALL OTHER RELEVANT PARTIES TO CONNECT THE UNDERLINE TO OTHER LINEAR PARKS AND TRAILS THROUGHOUT DOWNTOWN MIAMI AND THE REST OF THE COUNTY.

WHEREAS, Goal 4.3 of the 2025 Downtown Miami Master Plan, “Enhance Connectivity to Neighborhoods Surrounding the Downtown,” and Goal 4.5 “Connect and Promote Downtown Parks, Open Space and Greenways” supports the integration of pedestrian connections in association with transportation facilities to provide access to all areas and destinations throughout the community that would otherwise have limited pedestrian or bicycle access due to safety concerns or natural obstacles; and

WHEREAS, integrated trails and active transportation facilities provide a choice of transportation modes while reducing demand and maintenance on the State’s highway and local road systems; and

WHEREAS, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation provided the seed money for the Underline initiative because of its potential impact on further building Miami’s urban core and attracting young talent to the city; and

WHEREAS, Friends of The Underline is working in cooperation with Miami-Dade County and has been unanimously endorsed by the Cities of Miami, Coral Gables, South Miami, and others citing the potential positive economic impact to their communities and the health impact for nearly 400,000 residents within a 10-minute walk of the park and trail; and

WHEREAS, Friends of The Underline has secured funding from the cities of Miami, Coral Gables, South Miami, as well as the Knight Foundation, the Miami Foundation, the Health Foundation of South Florida and

for the purposes of funding a master plan for The Underline; and

WHEREAS, Friends of The Underline will seek 2016 funding from FDOT for Phase 1 construcution of the trail and a combination of public and private funding for Phase 1 construction of the park; and

WHEREAS, the corridor is already identified as a “high-priority” corridor in the State’s Greenways and Trails Plan as well as in locally approved plans of the City of Miami and Miami-Dade County.

NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved by the Board of Directors of the Miami Downtown Development Authority of the City of Miami, Florida:

Section 1. The recitals are true and correct and are adopted by reference and incorporated as if fully set forth in this Section.

Section 2. The Miami DDA expresses its support for The Underline linear park and trail located beneath Miami’a Metrorail from the Miami River to Dadeland South Station.

Section 3. The Miami DDA encourages Friends of the Underline, Mimai-Dade County, and the City of Miami, and all other relevant parties to connect The Underline to other linear parks and trails throughout Downtown Miami and the rest of the County.

PASSED AND ADOPTED this 19th day of December 2014.