In the most recent episode of the Mobility Matters podcast, Citizens’ Independent Transportation Trust (CITT) executive director and host Javier Betancourt sat down with Eulois Cleckley, CEO of Friends of The Underline, to explore how a transformative urban trail is reshaping mobility, sustainability, and community life in Miami-Dade County.
Cleckley brings deep insight into the infrastructure side of the project, having previously served as the director and CEO of the Miami-Dade Department of Transportation and Public Works, and a executive director of the Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure.
Now, as CEO of the nonprofit organization behind The Underline, he is focused on bringing this public-private vision to life, not just as a park, but as a community-powered ecosystem.
The Underline is a 10-mile, 120-acre linear park and urban trail that transforms the land beneath Metrorail into a dynamic corridor for walking, biking, transit connectivity, and public gathering.
With two of three phases completed, the remaining segments are slated to open by fall 2026, with some sections expected by summer 2025.
More than a green space, The Underline is an economic and cultural development engine.
“The Underline is here to make everyone’s life better and easier”, Cleckley emphasized.
The corridor connects 14 neighborhoods, over 20,000 businesses, four malls, and several schools and universities. It’s also home to “rooms” — distinct amenity zones like the River Room, which features public art, local vendors, and event programming.
From free yoga sessions to community-run playgrounds, and from micro forests to bioswales, The Underline integrates sustainability, wellness, and placemaking at every turn.
Supported by sponsors such as Baptist Health and designed with native plants and stormwater resilience in mind, it stands as a model for how urban infrastructure can serve both people and planet.
“Not only is it [The Underline] a mobility option that makes it much easier for you to get to where you need to go throughout the county through access to transit, but we also, through our sponsorships, provide programing that is unique to the communities we serve,” Cleckley said.
Community engagement remains at the heart of the project. Cleckley highlighted its grassroots origins, from founder Meg Daly’s personal experience to robust public input — it is helping to shape the amenities and programs that make The Underline a uniquely community-centered project.
Regular surveys and volunteer initiatives keep the community actively involved in programming and upkeep.
“About 2.5 million people visit The Underline annually, and we’re projected to be at 9 million people once it’s fully built out,” Cleckley said.
The Underline also fosters economic development in that it has increased Transit Oriented Developments (TODs) adjacent to The Underline and has developed underutilized space that now creates greater connectivity to transit services.
“We help support business and workforce development; we identify opportunities for entertainment and recreation; we have nature and resiliency that’s built into the project,” Cleckley said. “It’s more than just a trail or park, it’s really economic development that is a true asset to Miami-Dade County.”
As it nears completion, The Underline is inspiring similar efforts across the region, and, as Cleckley noted, the model is replicable. “The most successful projects are those built with and for the community,” he said.
To learn more about The Underline or to get involved, visit www.theunderline.org.
To watch the full episode, find it on Miami’s Community Newspapers YouTube channel: @communitynewspapers1946.
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