Impact of Interstate Highway System on Miami

Cover: Construction of the North South Expressway, later referred to as I-95, as it is routed through Miami’s Overtown neighborhood. Courtesy of Florida State Archives.

This podcast episode explores South Florida’s embrace of automobile transportation, beginning with the opening of the Dixie Highway in 1915. The discussion traces the evolution of the region’s road network from early state highways to the creation of the federal Interstate Highway System, a transformative public works initiative whose impact has shaped South Florida since construction began in the late 1950s.

Figure 1: Rendering of the Buena Vista Welcome Arch which was erected in 1915.

The story is not solely one of progress and mobility. From the use of eminent domain to clear established neighborhoods to proposals that would have routed Interstate 95 through some of Miami’s most treasured green spaces, the highway system came with significant social costs. While the network enabled unprecedented economic growth, regional connectivity, and suburban expansion, many communities bore the burden of its construction. Nowhere was that impact more profound than in Overtown, where large portions of Miami’s historic Black community were displaced to make way for the transportation infrastructure that South Floridians rely upon today.

Figure 2: Congestion on SE First Avenue in 1961. Congestion on city and residential streets were the norm leading up to the construction of the Federal Highway System. Photo courtesy of the Miami Herald, photographer Doug Kennedy.

Tune into this week’s podcast episode to hear more about the impact of the interstate highway system on Miami. You can download this episode on your favorite podcast platform (iTunes, Stitcher, Soundcloud, Spotify) or listen directly on the Miami-History website. Please remember to click on the subscribe button and to provide a rating and comment on any of the platforms where this podcast episode is available.