Miami Beach Commissioner John Elizabeth Aleman posted the following to her Facebook on March 17
Miami Beach partners with FDOT to expedite Indian Creek Drive construction project in its continous battle to stem rising tides
The City of Miami Beach authorized the administration to negotiate and enter into an agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) for cost sharing a construction project on Indian Creek Drive between 26 and 41 streets to build a seawall barrier wall, improve street drainage and raise the road elevation.
Indian Creek Drive is often susceptible to road closures multiple times per year coinciding with high tides. Although city staff controlled the majority of flooding this past fall by the extraordinary installation of a temporary flood barrier and several pumps at a significant cost, it was never a permanent solution.
The total price tag of this construction project is $25 million. With this agreement, FDOT is responsible for the base cost of draining their roadways with an estimated amount of $19.5 million. Miami Beach’s share to accommodate the additional capacity in the system for city streets totals $5.5 million
The construction proposal for this commuter road includes:
1) Building a 4,000 feet in length seawall from 26 to 41 streets at a 5.7 NAVD elevation (city standard). The proposed seawall would be constructed over a 20 feet deep sheet pile wall that would eliminate water from flowing underground and from flowing over the wall and flooding the street;
2) The installation of a 72-inch drainage line beginning south of 26 Street and continuing all the way to 41 Street, connecting to the drainage system on 41 Street;
3) The construction of a pump station on the 32 Street end that would have the capacity to pump the 72-inch drainage line and maintain the proper capacity in the system;
4) Raising the roads to a 3.7 NAVD elevation.
Miami Beach anticipates completing the project over the next 18-24 months by finalizing the elevations and any additional work necessary.
 - submitted by I. Mereos, unit 1708