Brightline passengers trying to get to the Aventura Mall from the train station across the street are finally getting a pedestrian bridge over Biscayne Boulevard.
“People are not going to leave their car behind, even if it’s a short trip, if they can’t safely and conveniently get there,” Cathy Dos Santos.
Dos Santos, with the Transit Alliance Miami, advocates for better public transportation in Miami-Dade. She said accessibility is key to a smooth commute.
Pedestrian bridge needed since the beginning
Since the Brightline station officially opened to the public on December 24, 2022, there hasn’t been a way to quickly and safely walk across Biscayne Boulevard to get to the Aventura Mall.
“The reality that one of the biggest economic centers in Aventura is still somewhat inaccessible,” Dos Santos said.
But that’s about to change.
Long walk for a short trip
According to Google Maps, it takes an estimated 45 minutes to walk from the station, at 19796 West Dixie Highway, to the mall, either by going north to Ives Dairy Road, or south to NE 186 Street, and then crossing east over Biscayne Boulevard. It’s close to a two mile walk.
The City of Aventura said this pedestrian problem won’t be around for long now that Brightline has completed all the steps needed to start construction of the bridge. Pieces for it are already being staged in the station’s parking lot.
The Aventura Mall released a statement that described the bridge as a “key step in improving access between the station and the mall.”
Dos Santos said she’s looking forward to it.
“Having that alternative is an absolute game changer,” she said.
Brightline expects construction to start this summer or early fall and they estimate it will take about eight months to complete.
