Cycling in Miami should qualify as an extreme sport. You thought BASE jumping was scary? Try pedaling over the MacArthur Causeway. It’s reported that 87 percent of residents don’t bike because they think it’s unsafe. That number will soon change.
The Underline, slated to begin construction in fall 2017, will transform the land that runs underneath the Miami Metrorail into a 10-mile linear park/mixed-use trail. It’s a project involving city organizations and big-name players, including Friends of the Underline founder Meg Daly, a Miami native and urban enthusiast. “Great cities have great parks and quality public services...and I think Miami has missed out on that,” she says. Until her vision is realized (projected completion for the Underline is 2023), Daly is hosting community rides through portions of the future Underline. “It gets people to use the current space and not feel scared about biking,” she says.
Hundreds turn up each month to ride safely in packs (volunteers block intersections for easier crossing), stopping along the way in areas where the Underline will eventually connect, such as the Miami River greenspace. “We find that if someone uses something, they’re more likely to support it,” reveals Daly. I met her on one of her tours, Exploring Connections, which took us to Coconut Grove, Key Biscayne and Brickell. Our crew of novices and skilled riders rode for more than two hours, braving the heat for a glimpse of Miami’s commuter potential. More than the trail, this enthusiastic group was the real sign of things to come.
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