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Project Overview and Benefits
The West Avenue Neighborhood Improvement Project is crucial to ensuring your neighborhood stays dry and remains a walkable, active community for years to come.
West Avenue is one of the lowest lying areas in the city. Since 2017, low-lying areas along West Avenue have experienced flooding from high tides 59 times, according to NOAA’s Virginia Key tidal gauges. Flooding is expected to worsen as the city is anticipated to face 14 to 30 inches of sea level rise over the next 30 years (Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact, 2019).
The project’s critical upgrades represent a comprehensive neighborhood improvement program, focused on resolving challenges associated with climate impacts and aging infrastructure. The improvements within the West Avenue neighborhood include replacement of the existing water distribution/transmission systems and gravity sanitary sewers; installation of a robust storm water drainage collection and pumping system, including the raising of the paved roads, sidewalks and harmonization within the adjacent private properties; installation of street and pedestrian lighting; installation of new traffic signals and mast arms; installation of landscaping and irrigation; and construction of a segment of new Baywalk.
To not disrupt the entire community, the project area between 14 Street and the Dade Canal has been divided into nine segments. Construction will begin from Segment 1 and continue to Segment 9.
What's Happening
Here’s a roundup of the latest project news and what the team is working on:
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The design-builder is processing permits through different agencies. A pre-construction public meeting per segment will be conducted to inform the community of the project sequencing and schedule once the permits have been obtained and before the start of construction. We anticipate the public meeting and groundbreaking later this summer.
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The harmonization coordination process for Segment 2 is almost complete. The team met with all properties in this segment which required harmonization. Out of the 18 properties required, 17 agreements have been executed and the remaining will be harmonized within the right of way (ROW).
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Segment 3 coordination is now underway. Segment 3 includes the area along West Avenue between 16 Street and Lincoln Road, and along 16 Street between Alton Road and Bay Road. There are 15 properties within this segment that require harmonization and 11 have received their packages. We will continue sending the packages and requesting meetings with property representatives. Please reach out to the Public Information Liaison (contact below) if you are unsure whether your property manager or board has set up the harmonization meeting. Follow-up calls and emails are underway.
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Coordination efforts began at properties that have been identified as having water and/or sewer service lines in their backyard. As part of this project, at no cost to property owners, the city will reconnect these services to the city’s system at the front of the property within the city’s right of way (ROW) for ease of access and maintenance. Our team will be visiting properties throughout the month of April to review current conditions and collect information to prepare the design for these service relocations. Please be on the lookout for our team members.
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On March 27, 2023, City Commission directed the staff to implement the following strategies to mitigate parking loss during the West Avenue project construction; Subsidize approximately 50 spaces at a privately owned parking garage for use by the residents, convert metered on-street parking spaces within the zone, to metered 24-hour residential spaces, expand the residential parking zone to include City owned Parking Lot P-24, located at 1671 West Avenue and provide temporary parking spaces on 14 Terrace, and Flamingo Way, between Bay Road and West Avenue, if feasible.
We want to thank the community for their collaboration and patience during this time. We look forward to contacting those residents and businesses in the upcoming segments.
Who to Contact
For more information, please contact Public Information Liaison Heather M. Leslie at heather@hmlpublicoutreach.com.
Please note: All property managers and board members are encouraged to share project information with their stakeholders (residents, tenants, managers, property owners, businesses, etc.) Everyone is welcome to email Heather and ask to be included in the project contacts database in order to receive future West Avenue updates directly.
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