I-395 Baywalk Pedestrian & Bikeway Bridge

Overview

The most difficult barrier to finishing a complete Miami Baywalk occurs at the I-395 MacArthur Causeway, forcing pedestrians and cyclists to circumnavigate the site along an unsafe section of Biscayne Blvd. The Miami DDA and the City of Miami’s Office of Capital Improvements (with lease agreements from FDOT) are advancing the design and construction of an over-the-water pedestrian bridge that will finally connect the Perez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) and Maurice A. Ferre Park to the former Herald Plaza, currently owned by Resorts World/Genting. The over-the-water pedestrian bridge would be routed underneath the MacArthur Causeway and provide an iconic destination and connection North-South along the Baywalk and East-West to the existing civic institutions and the eventual Underdeck/Reverend Graham Greenway. Lastly, the bridge might offer free outdoor programming from the nearby cultural institutions; rotating art from the PAMM, live performances via the Adrienne Arsht; and marine and coral exhibits from the Frost Science Museum.

Master Plan Goals

2.0 Leverage our Beautiful and Iconic Tropical Waterfront
2.2 Complete Baywalk & Riverwalk
2.4 Improve Inland Connections to Waterfront
4.5 Connect and Promote Downtown Parks, Open Space, and Greenways

Status

On July 22, 2021, the City Commission accepted the City’s Manager’s recommendation to award a contract to EXP Engineering USA to design the pedestrian bridge.
On January 2022, the consultant team held stakeholder meetings, performed site analysis, and data collection.
On October 17, 2022, EXP Engineering & Inform Architecture Studio Finished their Feasibility Study for the Pedestrian bridge.
On July 8, 2024, the Miami DDA Urbanism Committee asked Miami DDA staff to engage with City of Miami OCI and Pedestrian Bridge Design team Consultants - EXP Engineering and Inform Architecture Design Studio - about redesigning Options #2 and #3, so that the renderings show the alignment to travel underneath the 2nd bay of support columns underneath the MacArthur Causeway, versus the longer path underneath the 3rd bay.
On March 6, 2025, at the Phillip & Patricia Frost Museum of Science, the Miami DDA hosted a launch event where the I-395 Baywalk Pedestrian & Bikeway Bridge was presented by Inform Architecture Studio's Founding Principal Michael Guthrie. Mr. Guthrie discussed project context, stakeholder input, design options, updated alternatives through the 2nd bay, project constraints, and next steps. We acquired additional feedback via surveys on the bridge design alternatives.
On February 20, 2026, the Miami DDA passed Resolution No. 07/2026, approving "BAY 2 - ENHANCED CONNECTOR" as the preferred design alternative (see rendering below).
On March 12, 2026, the City Commission unanimously voted in favor of “Approving and Recommending the Bay 2- Enhanced Connector as The Preferred Design for Phase 1 Design of the “I-395 Baywalk Pedestrian And Bikeway Bridge.”
Miami DDA staff will work with City staff on acquiring grants for design (construction documents & permits) and construction. No timeline is available at this moment.