Miami Doesn’t Need More Skyscrapers, It Needs More Infrastructure

On sunny days, I love driving around Downtown Miami and its surrounding areas, admiring the spectacular skyline of high-rises. There’s something fascinating about looking at the different designs and engineering of these skyscrapers. They’re magnificent structures that give the city its distinctive, modern identity.

Unfortunately, I have to be very careful about when I decide to take these drives, because Miami traffic is horrible. Absolutely horrible. And God forbid it’s raining—then the traffic becomes even worse.

Ironically, this frustrating traffic is a direct result of the very “magnificent” skyscrapers that help define Miami’s skyline.

Miami is currently experiencing an unprecedented skyscraper boom. There are more than 90 high-rises either under construction or in development stages. But what Miami really needs right now isn’t more towers—it’s major infrastructure improvements.

Building a significant number of additional high-rises in an already dense urban area without first addressing Miami’s infrastructure challenges is putting a growing strain on the daily lives of residents.

Miami’s Infrastructure Problems: Traffic and Flooding

Traffic

Traffic is a daily challenge for Miami residents.

Miami ranks among the worst cities in the world for traffic congestion—9th globally and 5th in the United States. A large majority of Miami-Dade County residents rely on their personal vehicles for commuting, and many regularly face drives of 40 minutes or more to reach their destinations.

Evening commutes are often significantly slower.

More cars on the road also mean more accidents. When accidents occur, lanes—and sometimes entire roads—are closed, which further increases commute times and worsens congestion throughout the city.

Flooding

When it rains, flooding becomes another major challenge for Miami residents.

Florida’s sea levels have risen approximately 8 inches since 1950, and they continue to rise at an average rate of about one inch every three years.

During King Tide season—extra-high tides that typically occur between September and November—streets in Miami Beach and Downtown Miami frequently flood.

Miami’s geography makes the problem even more difficult to manage. Florida is an extremely flat state, and Miami is no exception. Because the land is so flat, there is very little natural slope to help water drain efficiently through gravity. As a result, water tends to drain slowly.

The city also sits on high groundwater, which limits the soil’s ability to absorb rainwater. On top of that, Miami’s dense urban development means there are fewer large open spaces—such as wetlands—that could otherwise absorb or redirect excess water.

When the “Solutions” Create More Problems

To be fair, several major infrastructure improvement projects are currently underway to address Miami’s traffic and flooding issues.

However, the constant construction, delays, and postponed completion dates are often making these problems worse in the short term.

The I-395/SR 836/I-95 Signature Bridge project, originally intended to help alleviate traffic congestion, was initially scheduled for completion in 2021. Since then, the project has been postponed multiple times and is now expected to be completed in late 2029.

In the meantime, the ongoing construction has added significant congestion to the Downtown Miami area.

Another major project, the North Corridor Rapid Transit Line, aims to improve Miami’s public transportation system. However, its projected completion date is 2032—still many years away.

Even when completed, the project may not fully address one of Miami-Dade’s most common commuting patterns: residents traveling from western parts of the county—such as Kendall, Doral, and Tamiami—into Downtown Miami and nearby employment centers.

Additionally, numerous drainage and resiliency projects are underway throughout Miami-Dade County. While these projects are necessary for long-term flood mitigation, the ongoing construction frequently causes road closures and detours.

The result is more traffic, longer commute times, and additional stress on residents’ daily routines.

In many ways, Miami’s growth is both impressive and problematic. The skyline continues to rise, and the city’s global reputation continues to expand.

But unless infrastructure improvements keep pace with development, Miami’s rapid growth risks overwhelming the very systems residents depend on every day.