(Photo credit: Miami-Dade County)
A pedestrian overpass bridge structure, located at the intersection of S. Dixie Highway (US1) and Mariposa Court adjacent to the University Metrorail station, will allow easy access to the overpass from both sides of US1.
An estimated 1,300 people cross the major highway every day, according to a study conducted by Miami-Dade County. Slated to open to foot traffic in the spring, the overpass will include elevators and bike-friendly stairs. Funding for the project, approximately $6 million, comes from Miami-Dade County transportation surtax funds, the Florida Department of Transportation and the Federal Transit Administration.
University of Miami students began lobbying for a pedestrian bridge nearly 11 years ago when freshman Ashley Kelly was struck and killed by a car while crossing the busy intersection. The day after her death, the Student Government Senate passed the Ashley Kelly Resolution calling for construction of a bridge at the intersection. In July 2013, Miami-Dade commissioners approved the plan, followed by a groundbreaking ceremony in April 2015.
To reach this point, the bridge had to overcome many obstacles, most notably trying to figure out where the bridge would land on the south side of US1. When one plan fell through, City of Coral Gables commissioners unanimously agreed to transfer control of Mariposa Court to Miami-Dade County, paving the way for the bridge’s construction.
“That’s a testament to how important we believe this project is,” Coral Gables Mayor Jim Cason said at the time.
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