Coral Gables officials, residents press county and Coast Guard over planned U.S. 1 pedestrian bridge

Coral Gables commissioners, residents and members of the city’s Waterway Advisory Board pressed Miami‑Dade County and Underline project leaders on Jan. 14 over a planned pedestrian bridge just east of the U.S. 1 bridge, raising concerns about vertical clearance, public‑safety access and fishing from the new structure.

The Waterway Advisory Board recommended the commission ask the U.S. Coast Guard to extend its 30‑day public comment period by 90 days and to object to a small proposed viewing platform; board members told commissioners they need more time to review survey data, tide/clearance calculations and how the structure would interact with police and fire marine patrols. “I would just request your authorization, your approval and we will continue working with the Coast Guard and the other agencies and come back to you with a recommendation,” Waterway Advisory Board chair Doug Yoder said during the meeting.

Miami‑Dade County and Underline representatives urged caution about delaying permitting. Irene Hegadas, project manager for The Underline at Miami‑Dade County, told the commission the county had presented the bridge design at eight community meetings since 2022 and that a 90‑day extension would “tremendously affect our budget, our funding, and our schedule for this project.” Hegadas said county surveys show the new pedestrian span will be higher than the existing U.S. 1 bridge, and the Underline team pledged to add signage banning diving, jumping and fishing if the platform remains.

Several residents and waterway users said the public notices and Coast Guard posting had inconsistent language about vertical clearance. “The notice in the paper stated that the proposed bridge would have the same vertical and horizontal clearances as the U.S. 1 bridge… I wrote an objection pursuant to the notice procedures to the Coast Guard,” resident Peter Bumberger said by Zoom, urging a longer review because boaters and paddle users rely on accurate clearance data. Another resident, Lehi Meyer, told the commission the bridge should be planned to accommodate sea‑level rise rather than match the low U.S. 1 elevation.

Board members and speakers also pressed county staff about a kayak‑launch pad that residents want on the Coral Gables side. County and Underline staff said the kayak launch is not part of the current Underline construction package but could be added later as an incidental use; they said location and parking remain unresolved. The county’s representative said early designs had placed the launch where topography would require difficult excavation and that moving the site south would allow safer drop‑off and a few parking spaces.

Commissioners instructed staff to convene a meeting with Underline and Miami‑Dade representatives and asked that the Waterway Advisory Board be included. Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson asked county and Underline officials to bring visual drawings and survey data to the follow‑up meeting so neighbors and board members could review precise numbers for tide‑related clearances, sight lines and ADA ramp needs. The city did not take a formal vote to block or approve any part of the project; county staff asked the commission to avoid a formal objection that would delay the Coast Guard’s schedule.

Why it matters: The project sits at the intersection of county transportation planning, federal permitting and local waterway safety. Vertical clearance determines what boats and rescue vessels can pass beneath the new span; fishing from a low pedestrian structure raises safety concerns for boaters and swimmers; and kayak launch and parking choices affect neighborhood access, traffic and maintenance responsibilities. With the commission’s direction, county, Underline and city staff will return with technical drawings and a timeline to answer the board’s questions before the Coast Guard comment period closes.