Miami-Dade County is moving forward with a $4.7 billion plan to build a new transit corridor after hosting its first public workshop on Oct. 22. The county will finalize the North Corridor Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Master Plan in 2026 and anticipates beginning construction in 2030.
The North Corridor is one of six rapid transit corridors featured in the Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit (SMART) Program. Once completed, it will cover a 10-mile stretch of the county, connecting unincorporated areas alongside the cities of Opa-locka and Miami Gardens with major destinations and critical amenities.
The county’s TOD plans revolve around seamlessly integrating and extending its Metrorail system to improve local mobility, providing residents with better access to housing, jobs and other amenities. As part of the plan, the county will develop nine proposed elevated stations along the route, promoting walkability to local opportunities within a one-mile radius of each station.
Designs for the North Corridor are subject to change as the county gathers feedback from the community. Currently, the heavy elevated line will be above street level, connecting with multiple stations and potentially park-and-rides along NW 27th Avenue. Once completed, the Metrorail will reduce car dependency, alleviate congestion, lower greenhouse gas emissions, increase neighborhood safety, utilize sustainable practices and increase transit ridership.
As the county continues to refine the Master Plan, officials will base changes off a 5D frame developed to guide TOD. These include:
- Density – Encouraging more housing, jobs and development nearby transit stations.
- Diversity – Mixing different land uses within a 1-mile walkable radius of the line.
- Design – Developing safe and appealing pedestrian infrastructure.
- Destination Accessibility – Aligning connections to provide easy access to critical destinations and amenities.
- Distance to Transit – Accommodating homes and businesses within nonmotorized travel distance of transit stops.
Photo by Antonio Cuellar from Pexels
