FIGHTING OFF FLOODING IN THE FLORIDA KEYS
For Twin Lakes, the original project estimate came in between $9 and $10 million, but the actual cost is $23.3 million, Haag said. Monroe County applied for state and federal funds based on original construction estimates and received a Resilient Florida grant for $3.9 million and a federal grant for $5.4 million through an appropriation.
we’re never going to be able to fund our projects with grant funds only. There’s going to have to be some contribution of local dollars or resident dollars to keep this program moving forward.”
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“That was what added up to our original construction estimate, but lo and behold, when we bid it out it came to $24 million, so the county has now had to put in $13 million of our local funds,” Haag said. “We can’t afford that for all of these road elevation projects. We did it for this because it was a pilot project and we needed to get it funded and under construction so that we can learn from it. But funding is going to be our biggest obstacle moving forward with the resilience program in Monroe County.” The reasons for the discrepancies between the original construction estimates were rising material costs, as well as the challenges of working in a more remote environment like the Keys.
Though roadway improvement projects promise to alleviate many of the Florida Keys’ flooding challenges, Monroe County needs an integrated concept for resilience, one that includes other factors like home elevation and managed retreat, Haag said. Engineering solutions are important, but so are policy solutions.
Engineering is a big deal for the road elevation program... Without that, we wouldn't be anywhere in the Keys – we wouldn't be resilient at all.
“As you move into more remote areas like the RHONDA HAAG, Florida Keys, it is more Chief Resilience Officer for Monroe County challenging to move equipment and materials down into the area,” Corning said. “It’s kind of hard to put your finger exactly on where this [high cost] comes from, in terms Still, Haag acknowledged that “the of whether it’s inflation or whether it’s just a way of roads are probably the doing business in the Keys.” biggest piece of it.” With large hurricanes hitting the west coast of “Engineering is a big Florida in recent years, many contractors have also deal for the road elevation concentrated their operations there. program,” Haag said. THE FUTURE “Without that, we wouldn't be anywhere in the Keys – we “We’re going to be raising our estimates from here wouldn't be resilient on out so that they can be more accurate, so when at all.” we’re applying for these grant funds we can be more accurate in the funds that we’re applying for so we’re not stuck with these shortfalls,” Haag said. “That said,
26 | ENGINEERING FLORIDA
