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DTPW outlines $184 million vision for 22‑mile South Dade shared‑use trail; funding strategy still under development
Summary
The South Dade shared‑use trail—about 22 miles in Dade County alongside the South Corridor transitway—has completed 30% design and seeks federal, state, county and private funding to build a fully‑featured shared path with lighting, hydration, seating and canopy tree plantings; design funds of $14.6 million have been secured.
DTPW presented details on Feb. 26 for the planned South Dade shared‑use path, a contiguous corridor that would run roughly from the Dadeland South MetroRail station south to Florida City. Staff said the route is roughly 22 miles after resurveying and is intended to connect multiple local trails and transit stations along the South Corridor.
Design and scope: DTPW reported 30% design is complete and staff are preparing community engagement and the next stages of design. The trail is planned as a 12‑foot shared‑use path with shoulders and consistent lighting, signage and wayfinding modeled to match standards used on the Underline. The corridor will include formal and informal seating, hydration stations every ~1,200 feet, surveillance cameras in some areas and an effort to increase tree canopy cover by about 48 percent to improve shade.
Funding and costs: Staff estimated a construction cost of roughly $184,000,000 for the full build. Design funding of about $14.6 million (roughly half PTP and half state funds) has covered planning and preliminary design; significant additional funding sources will be needed. DTPW said the trail will be segmented into nine construction packages for funding and delivery (segments range from about $6M to $35M). Staff said federal grants, state match programs and private partnerships will be needed for full buildout and maintenance agreements will be required.
Right‑of‑way and constraints: The available right‑of‑way varies along the corridor—staff said the path has an average corridor width that in most places supports a 12‑foot path, but about 11 percent of the planned route has narrow conditions under 25 feet where careful design is required. DTPW noted remediation work for historical railroad impacts and drainage adjustments are part of design work in constrained sections.
Design features and safety: The trail will incorporate 47 intersection improvements, relocate 26 pedestrian push buttons where necessary, realign ramps at 11 intersections, and include pavement markings and treatments to clearly identify crossings. Staff emphasized tree canopy and shade as a priority following trustee comments about midday sun exposure on long stretches of the corridor.
Next steps: DTPW said it will finish permitting and community outreach, then advance design and pursue multi‑source funding. Staff proposed phasing and said they will pursue federal grant cycles and private partners; they also noted that committing to federal grant funding could require larger, contiguous funding commitments.
Ending: Trustees and staff discussed maintenance responsibilities and the potential for private or district funding mechanisms; staff said more engagement and grant applications are needed to reach the full construction phase.
