Miami aims to close the loop on countywide trail system

Local leaders are launching a coordinated effort to push forward the Miami Loop, a regional trail system connecting and expanding walking and biking options across the county.

On Sept. 11, the Miami City Commission unanimously approved a framework directing the appointment of a central staff coordinator to oversee the project, track progress and convene quarterly roundtables with city, county and partner agencies. The coordinator is to issue monthly and annual updates to ensure the network develops efficiently.

The Miami Loop originated decades ago as a plan to connect 223 miles of walking paths from the north end of Miami-Dade County to areas south of Homestead. Negotiations began in the mid-2010s as multiple governments and agencies worked to coordinate the network, but the project has faced delays due to its large scale and the many stakeholders involved.

Former Miami-Dade County Commissioner Rebeca Sosa, speaking at the Sept. 11 meeting, said, “When I left, I left with all the plans done, with the money to build the bridges and everything. And I don’t know what happened that it got delayed, but now we have more strength to fight for it.”

Now, city leaders have approved a coordinated process to move the project forward. Commissioner Ralph Rosado, who sponsored the measure, said, “My request today is for the administration to really take a leadership role with our individual advocacy and ensure that each one of those segments moves forward more expeditiously.”

Priority trail projects intersecting the city include the Atlantic Greenway, Biscayne-Everglades Greenway, Black Creek Trail, East Coast Greenway, M-Path (The Underline), Ludlam Trail, Miami River Greenway, Rickenbacker Trail, Snake Creek Trail and South Dade Trail. The network will include bike lanes, pedestrian access points and connections to parks and public spaces, with some segments featuring landscaping, lighting and art installations. Other signature civic spaces – including Bayfront Park, Maurice A. Ferré Park, the Baywalk and the future Underdeck – are to be integrated into the system to ensure accessibility and connectivity.

Public support at last week’s commission meeting was strong. Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago called the Miami Loop “a once-in-a-generation opportunity to connect our neighborhoods, parks, waterfront, civic spaces and individual municipalities into a continuous world-class system,” emphasizing that Miami leaders must coordinate and push the vision forward to prevent delays or fragmentation. He added that a completed loop will transform mobility within the city and across the county, making it easier and safer for residents to walk, bike or roll while also reducing congestion and emissions.

Miami’s city manager is to establish, provide funding for and appoint a Trail and Civic Space Coordinator to serve as a central point of accountability for all trail, greenway and related civic space projects.

The new oversight framework includes monthly and annual updates in addition to the convening of a quarterly Miami Connectivity Roundtable to bring together city staff, county representatives, partner agencies and stakeholders to share updates across the projects, identify overlaps and develop a shared approach to keep the Miami Loop coordinated and moving forward.

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