Thanks to our design team, James Corner Field Operations (JCFO), Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation & Open Spaces, and Vizcaya for the unveiling of early design proposals at The Underline Public Meeting at Vizcaya’s Garage on June 23rd.

Also, a huge shout out to The Underline’s volunteers and Gita Shamdasani for her hard work in making this wonderful event happen.  Read the meeting notes by August Neal or see the video provided by Accord Productions.  Also, click below to provide your comments on the early design.  Your opinion will be shared with the design team and shape the final proposals in late September.  Thank you, Friends of The Underline.

Meeting Date: Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Location: Thanks to Vizcaya for hosting the meeting at Vizcaya Garage on Museum of Science Property
Time: 6-8 pm

Click here to see the video of the public meeting courtesy Accord Productions.

Click here to see a summary presentation of the draft design proposals from the June 23 & 25 public meetings.

To comment on early design proposals online, click here.

Purpose
The purpose of this meeting was to present the work in progress on the Master Plan for The Underline and to obtain feedback and input from the public for the subsequent planning process. James Corner Field Operations from New York is the firm preparing the Master Plan. The design team will present the Master Plan in September 2015. This meeting was targeted for those people particularly interested in the corridor from Brickell Avenue Station to Douglas Road Station. However, the presentation included the ideas for the entire 10 mile route.

Paul Schwiep, Chair of the Citizens Independent Transportation Trust (CITT), and Attorney, Coffey Burlington, Miami was the moderator for the meeting.

This meeting was divided into three parts:
1) Brief opening remarks
2) Presentation by the Design Team of James Corner Field Operations
3) Q & A with Panelists.

Part 1: Brief Comments from Local Speakers

Moderator: Paul Schwiep, Chair of the CITT, Miami

Paul Schwiep welcomed the public and the officials. He thanked the officials from Vizcaya Museum and Gardens for hosting the meeting at Vizcaya Garage.

He said that the design process has been purposefully inclusive, iterative, and dynamic to fulfil the needs and desires of the community.

He noted that in his capacity as Chair of the CITT, he realized that everyone has an opinion about the traffic problems in Miami.

These opening comments were simultaneously translated into sign language for the hearing impaired. However, this service was not needed for this meeting and was discontinued at this point.

Speaker: Tomás Regalado, Mayor, City of Miami

The Mayor said that he was proud of this project. He spoke about growing up in the Coral Way area and the pleasure of riding his bike to Brickell Avenue. He said that he was here to support the project and that the City of Miami will be a part of the project.

The Mayor emphasized that the public would have to fight for this project. He noted that the City of Miami is suing FPL over FPL’s ability to use this corridor along US 1 to erect transmission poles and lines.

Mayor Regalado said that the Underline was one of the best projects proposed in Miami. It would give thousands a chance to walk and bike and would add value to the city.

He noted that Commissioner Suarez was one of the officials supporting the project. The Mayor said that this project should be done and that the people of Miami deserve it.

Speaker: Paul Schwiep, Chair of the CITT, Miami

Paul told the public that the paper and pencils on their chairs were for them to note questions for the panelists for a later part of the meeting. He said that volunteers would collect them during the meeting. Paul said that the proposed Underline path is on county property and most of it is in the district of Commissioner Suarez of District 7.

Speaker: Xavier Suarez, Commissioner, District 7, Miami Dade County

Commissioner Suarez opened with the news from earlier in the day that the Governor of Florida, Rick Scott, vetoed a request for $2 million for The Underline. He was disappointed by this.

The Commissioner said that he would like to see legislation that required that all future transportation projects have 5% of the costs to be available for trails in the city. He noted that the planning process on the proposed Underline project has been purposefully inclusive, unlike some other projects.

Speaker: Albert Hernandez, Assistant Director Engineering, Planning & Development, Miami Dade Transit

Albert Hernandez said that he is excited about the project. He said that what sustains transit use is how the land around the transit station is used. The right land use can be transformational. He believes that the proposed Underline would change these underutilized areas to make them a better place to play, work and live.

Part 2: Presentation by the Design Team of James Corner Field Operations

Speaker: Lisa Switkin, Principal, James Corner Field Operations, New York

Lisa Switkin opened with a recap of what had happened in their development of a Master Plan. They are mid-way through the design phase. The next part of the presentation covered considerations and ideas for The Underline at this mid-point in the design process. She and her colleague Isabel Castilla used a PowerPoint presentation. Recap of the Process of Obtaining Input for Design The purpose of the last 3 public meetings in April 2015 was to hear about James Corner Field Operations’ work and qualifications and to have the public help them understand what the public wants. The Design Team also met with bicyclists, runners and other potential users to understand the variety and distinction of needs for the space. She reminded the audience to use the comment cards for notes and questions.

Lisa said that they were at the midpoint of the Master Plan design process. They will present the Master Plan results in early September 2015.

The Underline will be multimodal corridor, a signature park and urban trail. What else does James Corner Field Operations propose that it be? It could be a:
1) Green corridor inspired by the South Florida region
2) Central spine and network of regional trails, making an interconnected corridor
3) Link between neighborhoods rather than a barrier
4) Alternative mode of transportation
5) Economic generator

She reviewed how they gathered information in the 3 previous public meetings in late April 2015. The input came from meetings and from a survey:
1) Themes: Were certain neighborhoods interested in particular themes? The same three themes occurred across all neighborhoods with varying degrees of preference.
These themes were: a. Ecology and Habitat b. Art and Culture c. Ecology and Sustainable Initiatives
2) Uses: They considered the public input for uses in the various parts of the 10 mile corridor.
3) Vision: The public was asked to write and draw on graffiti boards to convey their needs and wishes.
4) Boards with Maps (a 12 foot map and a close up map): People were invited to draw or comment on what they needed and wanted for the various neighborhoods.
5) Survey: A 9 question survey was made available at events and online from March 5 to May 15, 2015. (The results of the 600+ surveys are on the “News” tab of The Underline webpage. Scroll down to the post dated May 26, 2015.)
The results showed that the most important use was as an urban trail for biking and walking. Transit stations should include restaurants and seating.

Lisa Switkin said they would now present 3 topics: 1) Paths and Intersections 2) Planting and Habitat 3) Character Zones To further discuss Paths and Intersections, she introduced the next speaker.

Speaker: Isabel Castilla, Project Manager, James Corner Field Operations, New York
Considerations and Ideas for The Underline at the Mid-point of the Design Process Path and Intersections Isabel Castilla explained that to make the paths and intersections inclusive, the design team considered the following:
1) Corridor Dimensions
Guidelines for transit on how to interact with the Metrorail require that no trees be planted underneath the Metrorail. All trees must be at least 16 feet away from the sides of the Metrorail. Another important issue is that FPL has plans to place transmission poles every 200 feet along one side of the trail. This would seriously restrict trail capacity.
2) Types of Bike Facilities:
The current M-Path is classified as an off-road 2 way use path. It is currently 7 to 10 feet wide along the path. The usual recommended path width is 10 to 14 feet for shared use paths. The Design Team is going to recommend separate paths for cyclists and runners/pedestrians. The bike path will be a minimum width of 10 feet with a buffer on each side that would be 2 feet wide. The runner/pedestrian path would have minimum width of 8 feet that would also have buffer on each side that is 2 feet wide. The biking and walking/running paths would be separate. They also are planning for the corridor to have a clear view.
3) How to Improve Intersections
They have classified the intersections into level of improvement needed and proposed plans as follows:
a. Minor Improvement Needed: Use traffic calming devices and path realignment
b. Medium Improvement Needed: Construct slightly raised crossings to slow down the drivers
c. Major Improvement Needed: Elevated crossings.
Isabel Castilla described intersections where the crossing point abuts US 1. The design team will propose altering these crossings by making the path straight. They would create an early indicator to users that an intersection is coming. The path on the road would be slightly elevated to make drivers aware that they are crossing a path. They would also recommend that the “right on red” turn be prohibited for southbound turns at certain intersections. Another idea is to have the traffic signals delayed giving pedestrians a 4-7 second lead in crossing before traffic begins moving.

Speaker: Lisa Switkin, Principal, James Corner Field Operations, New York

Planting and Habitats
The design team worked with guidance from Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden. They studied the historic plant communities that were in South Florida before 1825. These included Hardwood Hammocks, Pine Rocklands and Wet Prairies. These plant ecosystems will inspire the Master Plan as follows:
1) Develop a planting palette for these plant communities. Some examples could be hardwood hammocks and understory ferns. Some areas could also include butterfly gardens.
2) Develop a separate look for places where the path crosses canals. The inspiration for this would come from wet prairies and fresh water marshes.
3) Respect the existing vegetation. A team is completing a complete audit of trees and existing vegetation survey.

Character Zones
The design team envisions 4 main Character Zones with punctuations along the path. Some 70% of the path will be defined for recreation and nature. The remaining 30% would be destination areas. The Character Zones are:
1) Nature and Play: Brickell area
2) Art and Craft Incubator: Coconut Grove area
3) Green Technology: University of Miami area
4) Active Recreation: Southern portion of the trail, South Miami to Dadeland South.

Punctuations within the Character Zones
1) Brickell Backyard: This would feel like an adult playground. Nearby oolitic limestone outcroppings inspired a proposed climbing wall.
2) Hammock Trail: This would run from SW 17th Ave to Vizcaya Station. It would feature native habitats and nature play.
3) The Grove Gallery: This area may have public art on the support columns of the Metrorail. One idea is to make the support columns one of the characteristic icons of The Underline.
4) Crafts and Incubation: This is the Douglas Road/Bird Road triangle area. It is the halfway point of the path and would feature a bike repair station.
5) University Colonnade: Pop up retail and activities would make this area attractive to University of Miami students and staff.
6) Dadeland Trail Connection: This is the area from the Snapper Creek Expressway to S.W. 88th Street (Kendall Drive). This area would feature fitness, outdoor recreation. This area would connect to other existing and proposed trails.

The Underline Elements Path Materials:
Various materials for the bike and walking/running paths are under consideration.
Graphics and Wayfinding: The design took inspiration from bike treads. The slide showed samples of a bike tire pattern that would be imprinted on the path to divide north and southbound paths. The Metrorail’s support columns would also be used for wayfinding and distance information. The columns would also serve as a chronicle for various neighborhoods.
Furnishings: The green U logo of The Underline and the green, black and white colors would inform the furnishings including seating, picnic tables, trash receptacles and more.
Lighting: The team envisions using the support columns of the Metrorail for lighting. They will also propose using lighting embedded in the paths.

Part 3: Q and A with Panelists

Panelists: Meg Daly, Founder and President of Friends of the Underline, Miami Lisa Switkin, Principal, James Corner Field Operations, New York Isabel Castilla, Senior Associate, James Corner Field Operations, New York Maria Nardi, Chief of Planning and Design Excellence, Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces Department, Miami Stewart Robertson, Project Manager, Kimley-Horn and Associates, Fort Lauderdale

During the meeting, volunteers collected the written questions and comments from the public. Paul Schwiep summarized them by content themes.

The questions were:
1) Is there a plan for public restrooms? Lisa Switkin – There are restrictions regarding permanent structures. There are restrooms in the stations.

2) How will the homeless population be handled? Maria Nardi – The Homeless Trust is involved in this project. Lisa Switkin – When an area has been activated, the homeless population is less visible because of the number of other people there.

3) What is the projected level of funding required for the project construction and maintenance? Meg Daly – The components of this project are Vision, Plan and Budget. The budget and maintenance information will be part of the final presentation in late August or early September 2015. Today the Governor vetoed a proposed $2 million appropriation. Funding for this will require a layered strategy with many sources including private donors. For example starting a phase in the Brickell Station area could require $4 million. Lisa Switkin – The design team is considering which the materials and habitat will play favorably into the budget and maintenance expenses.

4) What consideration is being given to populations with special needs? Lisa Switkin – The entire project will be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). There will be amenities for slower movers and for children. Intersections are a main part of this consideration. The design team is considering how animals will be accommodated.

5) What can be done to minimize the noise from traffic from US 1 and the Metrorail? Lisa Switkin – They have ideas about this. Water features provide a white noise impact. Vegetation will serve as a sound buffer. Meg Daly – 80% of those surveyed preferred vegetation to putting up a wall beside US 1. The Metrorail will have a new fleet of trains in 2017 that are quieter.

6) What will be done about noise from trail users? There did not seem to be concern about this.

7) What is the anticipated economic impact of this project and does this compare to The High Line in NYC? Lisa Switkin – The High Line impacted the neighborhoods in New York much faster and more significantly than they ever expected. This was due in part to rezoning from commercial only to commercial and residential. They will be hiring a consultant to build out this part of the strategy. Maria Nardi – Studies show that parks are connected to economic development.

8) What will be done about separation issues such as cars and walls? What about privacy and access for people west of The Underline, How will fast and slow bikers be accommodated? Isabel Castilla – Planting will be done to maximize privacy and to create buffer zones between users and vehicles. The design team will propose that existing businesses be allowed to have double frontage. That means that they can open up for business for trailside access. The path width will accommodate fast and slow cyclists. There will be a clear delineation between fast and slow cyclists. Stewart Robertson – They will incorporate ways to separate users from cars, especially at intersections. Cross walks will be improved and paths widened. The bike path will be 10 feet wide. The pedestrian path will be 8 feet wide. These widths will be kept through the intersections.

9) Does the fencing that recently appeared on US 1 at the SW 27th Avenue area have anything to do with The Underline? Meg Daly – No. First, The Underline does not have any funding for construction. The fence is part of an FDOT (Florida Department of Transportation) project to stop people from crossing US 1 that are not for crossing. The survey came out very strongly opposed to putting up any wall or fence to block US 1.

10) Will there be a trail connection to downtown Miami and other parts of north of Brickell? Maria Nardi – Other trails are under discussion. The Open Space Master Plan has 500 miles of trails in the plan. Phase 2 of the Open Space Master Plan addresses how to extend northward.

11) What materials will be used for the paths? Will they be pervious or impervious? Will they be easy on the knees of walkers and runners? Isabel Castilla – They are looking at asphalt for the bike portion. Swales would direct water to the adjacent plants. It would be very expensive to have 10 miles of paths that were just for runners. Perhaps they would change the materials along parts of the path for runners.

12) How far would ramps extend? Stewart Robertson – There would be separation between cars and users. The ramps would not have switchbacks.

13) Does the planning take plants and animals into consideration? Isabel Castilla – Yes. Maria Nardi – Brickell area residents indicated that they would like dog parks. Meg Daly – The plan will follow the habits of the existing users. For example, people use the M-Path to walk their dogs. The Everglades Bike Club uses the bike path.

14) Will the walking paths conform to ADA standards? Isabelle Castilla – Yes.

15) How might plants be used along the trail? Will there be community gardens with edible plants? What will become of the existing trees along the path? Lisa Switkin – They will incorporate the results of the tree survey. The healthy trees will be incorporated into the plan. They will look into the idea of a community garden.

16) How will you get people to follow the proposed “no right on red” at some southbound intersections? Stewart Robertson – There will be visual cues for the drivers. The crosswalk will be wide. The cues will be consistent at all of the intersections that would have this restriction.

17) How can FPL be stopped in their intent to use the same corridor to install transmission lines? Meg Daly – The cities of Miami and South Miami and the Village of Pinecrest object to this use of the corridor. All have filed suits against FPL. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has a comment period that is open through July 17th. (The public may submit comments on this site: http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2009-0337.) One idea is to have the lines buried. The cities would probably have to pay for this.

18) Will the route include Wifi access? Meg Daly – Yes

19) Have skaters been taken into consideration? Will there be exercise equipment and an amphitheater? Lisa Switkin – Skaters will be taken into consideration but there has not been any feedback from skaters. There will be exercise equipment. There are no plans for an amphitheater but there could be room to include a place for small scale gatherings.

20) What economic opportunities could the project generate like bike shops or cafes? Have local businesses expressed interest? Meg Daly – The land that will used for the project is for transit use. Buildings may not be erected on this land. Restaurants will likely open along this transit corridor, for example. If anyone is interested in volunteering to work on local business development, please go to the website and volunteer.

21) How will art be incorporated? What about people who find art to be offensive? Lisa Switkin – The art will be in limited locations. Those places will be an outdoor gallery. Maria Nardi – Art will be interjected into the landscape. Paul Schwiep – Paul Schwiep was the moderator. He asked those who were concerned about being offended by art to indicate that by clapping. No one responded. The panel made no comment.

22) How will funding the construction be prioritized? Meg Daly – Brickell Station and the University Station would probably the first stations. The Brickell Station area is densely populated as is the University of Miami area. If your neighborhood has a strong interest, get them to be vocal about it to those working on the Underline. Lisa Switkin – The project will have to be phased. Maria Nardi – Criteria would be density and responding to needs.

Prepared by August Neal, Friends of The Underline volunteer