Miami's historic Black Overtown gets makeover | See Pics

The $818 million Florida Department of Transportation project with higher, thinner columns will replace the original bridge crossing Overtown, opening up dark, underutilized space to both a park and a Heritage Trail.

Dr. Nelson Adams III remembers when his grandparents’ home in Miami’s historic Black neighborhood of Overtown was razed to make way for a highway in the 1960s, forcing thousands to relocate from the area, known then as the “Harlem of the South” for its vibrant music and theater scene. Miami was one of numerous Black cities across the country where interstate highways were built, disrupting communities. Adams is hopeful the new Signature Bridge now being built over the area, along with a planned park underneath called the Underdeck, will help to transform and reconnect the neighborhood.