Major Thoroughfare's Future in Limbo Amid Safety, Business Concerns

15 October 2026

The redevelopment of the main commercial strip of Little Havana remains contested. Residents and business owners continue to grapple over the future of Calle Ocho, with some pushing for a more pedestrian-oriented redesign while others worry that changes will disrupt access and cut into profits.

At the heart of the dispute is a proposal to convert the stretch of Southwest 8th Street, known as Calle Ocho, from a car-dominant corridor to a more balanced urban street. Florida’s transportation agency has been studying the possibility for two years, at a cost of $2 million.

During that time, the city has worked on a separate pedestrian-priority project for Little Havana, focused on safety and greenway improvements. The ongoing Calle Ocho study, however, has revealed fault lines in the community regarding the thoroughfare's role as a major street and its identity as the center of the Cuban exiles' neighborhood.

A Multifaceted Proposal, An Uncertain Future

In a five-year period, 49 pedestrians and 18 cyclists were struck by cars on the stretch of Calle Ocho west of Southwest 27th Avenue, with six of those crashes proving fatal. Community feedback gathered through the two-year-plus redesign process, led by FDOT, has emphasized greater walkability, safety, and protection of historic architecture. At the same time, not every business in the neighborhood supports the changes.

Brickell Motors is one of several stores on and nearby the street that have opposed the exact design envisioned, and some local merchants fear construction and the loss of street parking. Together, the worries about access and disruption have kept action at a standstill as the state agency contemplates extensive changes to its scenic route – which passes through the core of Miami's Little Havana and the Sunshine State’s Cuban community.

A Long-Planned Rebirth on Hold

A community master plan introduced in 2016, spearheaded by urban design firm PlusUrbia and members of a state special task force, proposed opening up westward-flowing traffic – replacing a one-way, three-lane East to West highway with two opposing lanes and a center turning lane. It would repurpose the space for bike lanes, wider crosswalks, and even transit parking – along parts of the Interstate 95 off-ramp. In the process, the design would open up a pedestrian corridor parallel to the walkway on Hoffman Avenue.

The 2016 master plan also called for planting grass in the current median area known as “paredón” – a barrier and parking zone between the sidewalk and the vehicles of Southwest 8th Street, often used by idling taxi drivers. The plan would invest in the neighborhood's visual arts, street performances, and businesses along Little Havana’s main avenue.

Since then, the issue has remained stuck in a feedback loop, with reservations and support from the community remaining sharply divided. More than five years on, neither the state nor the City of Miami has committed to the investments. An urban revitalization planning grant awaits sign-off and a draft plan for the city’s public arts. Essentially, the process has moved forward without resolution, leaving the question of next steps unanswered.

This week, Florida’s transportation agency shared plans for the study’s proposed changes during a public meeting. “Our goal is to make Calle Ocho a modern, balanced street that serves everyone in our community,” FDOT’s design engineer, Jenny Johnson, said in an email. “We’re still gathering input and are committed to working with residents, businesses, and the city to implement changes that work best for everyone.”

Some local residents and business owners, however, remain wary of the project's potential impact on existing shops whose revenue relies heavily on the current car-centric design. “The redevelopment plan will make traffic worse and hurt our sales,” one owner of a local food market told the Herald.

PlusUrbia’s principal Robbie Monk, who led the master plan effort, acknowledged understandable skepticism about delayed progress. “We’re modernizing a design concept that’s been around for years. This is absolutely doable and a great approach – but not without community-wide support. The real challenge is balancing the street’s original urban vision with the vibrant street life of Calle Ocho today.”

That challenge still awaits community consensus before any substantial changes can take shape along Little Havana’s historic avenue.