Writer: Ryan Gandolfo
2 min read May 2024 — Cities are turning to parks for more than their aesthetic appeal and recreational utility, but also what they provide in terms of economic development. In the United States, growing metropolitan areas are embracing linear parks such as the BeltLine in Atlanta, the High Line in New York City, and The Underline in Miami to connect neighborhoods, enhance mobility, and create new economic opportunities.
“It’s very good for economic development. It’s going to stimulate business along the corridor, and it’s going to be part of our transit-oriented development we’re building along the corridor,” Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said about The Underline, a 10-mile linear park and urban trail that’s been in planning and development for more than a decade, at the Phase 2 opening ceremony in late April.
Through a partnership with Miami-Dade County, public and private donors, and hundreds of volunteers, the project, spearheaded by Friends of The Underline Founder Meg Daly, utilizes overlooked pathways underneath the Miami Metrorail to enhance travel from Brickell to Dadeland.
READ MORE: A transit state of mind
“Thousands of people who use US-1 every day are going to see the difference between this eyesore that was the metro path into now this beautiful underline,” said U.S. House Representative Carlos Gimenez, who supported the project while serving as county mayor. “And as we build more and more of this down to Dadeland, you will see more and more people and families use it, and see more amenities brought to the underline. Hopefully, [creating] little shops and places to stop and eat, and this will truly become a linear park.”
Phase 2 of The Underline extends to US-1. Image by Ryan Gandolfo/Capital Analytics
In the face of mounting congestion and environmental challenges, the emphasis on public transit and alternative modes of transportation has never been more critical. Miami is ranked the No. 5 most congested city in the United States, according to the most recent INRIX Traffic Scorecard, with 105 hours lost in congestion – costing $1,773 per driver.
Miami-Dade District 5 County Commissioner Eileen Higgins underscored the importance of accessible and appealing transit options as well. “If we don’t make [public transit] safer, easier, and more pleasant for people, we will never get the people who can afford cars to get out of their cars…We need choice riders or we are going to be locked in gridlock forever,” she pointed out.
Cities nationwide are leveraging the benefits of linear parks to spur economic development and community engagement. The iconic High Line in New York City stands as a prime example of how repurposing underutilized infrastructure can bring about urban renewal. Repurposed from an abandoned railway line into a world-renowned elevated park, the High Line attracts five million visitors each year and has generated over $2 billion in private investment around the 1.45-mile-long public park, as cited by Arup.
The High Line project serves as a model for repurposing disused industrial infrastructure. Image via Unsplash
Similarly, in Atlanta, the BeltLine project is reshaping the city’s landscape and redefining its economic future by connecting diverse neighborhoods and stimulating investment in underserved communities.
With sections already completed and more underway, the BeltLine has already attracted more than $8 billion in private development, including 28,000 new and 5,600 affordable housing units, according to the Atlanta BeltLine website.
The role linear parks play in spurring transit-oriented development has led to some of the most meaningful impacts on local economies. But future challenges remain as these well-intentioned assets drive up property values and risk pushing out longtime residents to less transit-friendly neighborhoods.
Top image by Ryan Gandolfo/Capital Analytics
For more information, please visit:
https://www.theunderline.org/
https://www.thehighline.org/
https://beltline.org/
