The Knight Foundation recently announced the winners of the Knight Cities Challenge. Thirty-seven winners from across the country will share $5 million for their projects geared to create more vibrancy and livable spaces.
Friends of the Underline was one of three South Florida winners. That's a project designed by Miami resident Meg Daly to create a 10-mile linear park under the Miami-Dade Metrorail.
The Knight Foundation has been a huge supporter for over two years and, in fact, they gave us our first $10,000 seed grant. As of today, they've given us over $500,000. I really think it's a strong statement to the community that not only is the Knight Foundation invested in this project but the reason they're invested is because it's all about public space and public realm and making Miami a better city.
You were recently in Washington D.C. talking to legislators about the Underline. What can you tell us about the trip?
Well, I think we have some great legislators. I mean they're really interested in taking Miami to the next level, particularly because of our transportation woes. They really see that our city has an opportunity to get to, I think, a global level. But if we don't fix our transportation problems that could potentially limit our growth and our stature throughout the world. [U.S. Rep.] Mario Diaz Balart is the head of the transportation subcommittee, and I believe we have an opportunity with his leadership to find funding for, not just mass transit but also alternative transportation, like the Underline.
We spoke last summer literally under the Underline to talk about your project. In the past 10 months or so, what's changed, what's happened? What have you accomplished? How much further ahead are you?
One of the things that's so exciting about this project is, even in a period of 10 months we accomplished so much. Since we last met, we completed a traffic study which revealed that we can increase capacity on U.S. 1 by directing cars off of the road and get people onto foot and bike. And there was county funding, which was $3 million in road-impact fees. We also had a $2 million appropriation from the state of Florida. We just secured the Knight Foundation grant. And we hope to announce a very large donation soon from the private sector. So we're sort of moving at light speed.
