The First Street and South Pointe Storm Water Improvements Project is an important Neighborhood Improvement Project for a vibrant, but low-lying area within the City of Miami Beach.  The project includes major public infrastructure upgrades to reduce flood risk while enhancing quality of life.  The project includes Phases 1 and 2—located along First Street, between Alton Road and Washington Ave, and along Washington Ave, from First Street south through Government Cut— proposed improvements include underground utility removal/replacement, new storm drainage conveyance, new water treatment system and pump station at the southeast corner of the intersection of First Street and Washington Ave., pump station discharge force main, aesthetic screening of utility control area, landscaping and lighting, and complete roadway reconstruction and elevation of First Street between Alton Road and Washington Ave. The future Phases 3 and 4 of this project also include addition of water quality wells, drainage improvements on Alton Road from South Pointe Drive to 5th Street, and on Washington Avenue from First Street to 5th Street.

The City of Miami Beach is highly vulnerable to flood risk, with 93% of properties within the FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area.   Miami Beach is utilizing the best available science and engineering to increase resilience and reduce flood risk today and in the future through incremental adaptation.  Resilience is the capacity of a city’s systems, businesses, institutions, communities, and individuals to survive, adapt, and grow no matter what kinds of acute shocks and chronic stresses they experience.

Infrastructure planning is being designed to address changing climate conditions including increasing rain intensities and sea level rise projections. Historical conditions will continue to change over the coming decades, posing a unique challenge for the City, its residents, and its assets. Under existing conditions, the City of Miami Beach already experiences the impacts of frequent flooding from intense rain events and annual King Tides. As a narrow barrier island (7 miles long and 1 mile wide), Miami Beach is surrounded by water, providing flood pathways from all sides. Compounding the open water flood vulnerability is its geologic setting on a platform of porous limestone. At the same time, Miami Beach is under a consent decree to upgrade its sanitary sewer to prevent negative environmental impacts, and to expand the capacity of its potable water systems. This project will address some of these issues and provide the following community benefits:

• Significantly reduce flooding on streets and sidewalks associated with intense rain events
• Faster drainage and recovery from intense rain events
• Minimize street flooding associated with tidal fluctuations, King Tides and sea level rise.
• Expand capacity and flow of potable water systems, and replace aged water distribution infrastructure
• Upgrade wastewater infrastructure to prevent underground sewage leaks and conform to State of Florida consent decree requirements
• Install storm water quality drainage wells to capture the first flush of stormwater runoff and reduce negative environmental impact to Biscayne Bay from roadway and landscape pollutants
• Beautify the neighborhood with added trees, vegetation, and improved roadway surfaces
• Improve walkability and safety of neighborhoods

Groundbreaking is anticipated to occur during 2027.

The expected project duration for Phases 1 and 2 is a total of 2 years.

• Phase I – 18 months
• Phase II – 6 months

Access to residences and businesses will be maintained at all times during construction.

The project limits for the funded Phases 1 and 2 are:  1^st Street between Alton Road and Washington Avenue.  Washington Avenue from First Street south toward Government Cut. More information to follow on Phases 3 and 4.

The goals of this project are to: reduce flood risk for residents and businesses, faster recovery from future storm events, reduce the economic losses for businesses associated with flooding, positively impact property values, and overall quality of life enhancements. Additionally, this project is being designed to improve the health of our waterways and make the neighborhood safer.  This project has been carefully designed with public feedback to ensure a pedestrian friendly neighborhood.  Great care is being taken to preserve and restore the tree canopy as well.

In a business case analysis completed in 2020 by ICF, Inc, City investments in the right-of-way increase property values by 4.9-14.1% for each foot in additional road elevation. Lower elevation properties and roads see the greatest increase from elevation. 

This project will elevate 1^st Street, between Alton Road and Washington Avenue, including the intersections. City policy dictates that when roadways are materially impacted by construction of new underground utility infrastructure that road elevation be completed simultaneously, consistent with the City’s Road Elevation Strategy adopted in 2020. While the design team does recommend elevation of Alton Road and South Pointe Drive, raising Alton Road and South Pointe Drive has been deferred from the current project scope due to budget constraints.

Yes. The City’s neighborhood affairs division has conducted robust outreach in the area to inform residents and businesses of this project. Community engagement will continue to occur throughout the life of the project.

Yes. You will be notified in advance of project work that is adjacent to your property.  Access to your property will be maintained throughout construction.

During the construction period, which is expected to start in 2026, there will be periodic impacts to traffic patterns, dust, presence of workers, construction activity, and noise.  These are temporary inconveniences necessary to achieve the multiple, long-term benefits from these infrastructure improvements.

The combination of low ground elevation, being surrounded by water, and a high groundwater table means that roads and public and private properties can experience flooding during tidal fluctuations often referred to as King Tides.  

As relative sea level rises, it no longer takes a strong storm or a hurricane to cause coastal flooding. High tide flooding occurs when sea level rise combines with local factors to push water levels above the normal high tide mark. Changes in prevailing winds, shifts in ocean currents, and strong tidal forces (which occur during full or new moon) can all cause high tide flooding, inundating streets even on sunny days. As sea levels continue to rise, conditions that cause minor and moderate high tide flooding today will cause moderate and major high tide flooding by 2050. (https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/high-tide-flooding.html)

Often referred to as sunny day flooding, elevating roads also addresses the pavement cracking and degradation that results from the elevated groundwater caused by sea level rise. The proposed road elevation of 1^st Street considers sea level rise over time, surface water elevation, groundwater elevation, road clearance, harmonization, and the general urban fabric.

No. The road elevations, slopes, curbs, gutters and drains are engineered to work together to collect storm water and drain it into the underground system thereby preventing any flooding on streets and sidewalks. The stormwater pump station lowers water levels in the storm sewers so that water will move from the ground surface into the pipes and discharging into our local waterways.

The goal is to avoid any negative impact with respect to stormwater drainage on private properties. The design engineers will evaluate the need for stormwater inlets within private property. If there is a need for additional inlets within the public right of way, the City will provide those as needed at no cost to property owners.  Property owners will continue to be responsible for managing and maintaining their existing private property stormwater drainage systems.

The City’s improvements reduce the flood risk to an individual property but do not remove the need for individual flood mitigation actions, especially in hurricane and storm surge conditions.  For older, low-lying properties, flood mitigation strategies may include flood proofing, building, appliance, and systems elevation and protection, and improving on-site drainage. 

The project purpose is not to collect all stormwater and drain it through the new system (this is not beneficial). The freshwater lens under the ground surface is what feeds trees and plants with the water they need to thrive. This freshwater lens is refreshed by stormwater percolating through the soil in green pervious areas.

Property owners will be responsible for cleaning their drains to avoid clogging from leaves or other debris. The drains are intended solely for stormwater drainage. Nothing else, including pools, can be drained through the system.  Ultimately, most of what goes into the stormwater system is released to the environment. Therefore, it is very important that residents do not put any pollutants into the stormwater system.

Absolutely. Both designs are vetted by certified professional design engineers, the City’s Transportation Department and Miami-Dade County.

The asphalt, or flat surface of the road, is required to be minimum 20-feet wide so that a fire truck can park on the road with outriggers extended to fight a fire.

The City’s goal is that all water that falls on to the right of way enter the drainage system that this project will implement. Water will be removed from the right of way via the public drainage system. The pipes and pumps are engineered to move rainwater. Private property garages are generally drained through private property systems that include separate treatment systems, pumps and injection wells. These need to be properly maintained by property owner to insure they function as intended. The existing permitted drainage connection from the private property into the City’s stormwater system, which has been "grandfathered in" under prior approvals, will be reestablished. This will ensure that the property maintains its legally authorized access to the City’s drainage infrastructure, allowing proper stormwater management in compliance with current standards.

Rainwater that falls within the project area is collected either in green landscape areas or into a network of inlets and pipes and transported by gravity to the stormwater treatment system. As water travels across roads and sidewalks, it often collects and carries items such as leaves, sediments and litter.

The stormwater treatment system is managed by a combination of techniques. Some runoff from the pipes is screened and sent into stormwater wells. These wells will remove much of the volume from the smaller storms. The rest of the stormwater goes to the pump station which is designed to remove solids before discharging to our local waterways and Biscayne Bay through the use of screens and vortex settling structures (see figure below). Collected sediment and debris is removed by City staff during routine maintenance.

Here’s what a stormwater treatment system looks like (components underground) which includes a system of pressurized water quality injection wells:

The stormwater treatment system will be located underneath the road near the corner of 1^st Street and Washington Avenue.  The above ground components such as the emergency power generator will be located on the small City-owned property next to Milos restaurant and will be obscured by an artistic screen on all sides.

This option was rejected by the community. This would have been a good location, but did not get buy in for the PS nor outfall through the marina.

Several locations were considered and presented to the community and to Commission. Commission ultimately adopted the location at First Street and Washington Ave.  

No, the marina is not a good location due to marine traffic and marine craft and boats present.

This map depicts all locations considered, evaluated for stormwater pump station potential locations:

Public Works sends a vacuum truck to visit each pump station in the city, at least once per quarter to open the hatch and vacuum out any garbage that the pump station has caught in the trash rack (coarse bar screen).  Different areas of the city require different maintenance schedules, depending on how much litter and garbage residents and visitors leave behind in any given area.

The City of Miami Beach has performed numerous parking analysis. Need to check with City’s Transportation Dept / Parking Dept for official results. We have checked during high impact; special event times and spaces are available throughout the day.

Harmony is defined as a consistent, orderly, or pleasing arrangement of parts, congruity. Harmonization is design methodology that intentionally provides a smooth transition between the City’s right-of-way enhancements and private properties. Effective harmonization often requires the City’s contractors to access and perform limited work on the private property. Even if the roadway and sidewalk are only raised a few inches, the contractor may need to perform work within the private property to ensure pleasing transitions and that properties remain accessible and safe for residents, visitors, and business patrons.

In order to create harmony between private and public property, the City schedules individual meetings with each property owner (or their agent) to discuss unique circumstances. The City drafts an agreement for signature by the property owner (or the building property manager or HOA board president with signing powers). Signature is required for permitting and progress purposes.

The design engineers have completed 60% of the project and anticipate being prepared to share further project details during a public meeting later in 2024. Meanwhile, the City is working on amending the contract to divide the project into two separate packages: Phase I & II and Phase III & IV.

Please visit http://www.miamibeachfl.gov/flood-awareness to learn more.

The City of Miami Beach participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).  Due to this, flood insurance is available to building owners and renters.  Flood insurance premiums are established by the FEMA National Flood Insurance Program and private insurers.  We strongly encourage you to obtain flood insurance, as 93% of existing buildings on Miami Beach are in the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) as defined by FEMA.  From a flood hazard perspective, FEMA encourages flood mitigation to reduce flood damage and claims for communities and private property owners.  From a public infrastructure perspective, elevating roadways and improving stormwater drainage are strategies outlined by FEMA as flood mitigation solutions.

There are conditions that can make buildings uninsurable or limited by the National Flood Insurance Program. These include buildings that are 50% or more below ground level, buildings constructed entirely over water, and Coastal Barrier Resource System (CBRS) areas.  There are significant limitations on NFIP coverage in enclosures beneath elevated buildings and in buildings with basements. This project will not result in any of the previously mentioned conditions.

FEMA is using new capabilities and tools to address rating disparities by incorporating more flood risk variables. These include flood frequency, multiple flood types—river overflow, storm surge, coastal erosion and heavy rainfall—and distance to a water source along with property characteristics such as elevation and the cost to rebuild.  For more information about flood insurance coverage, we advise you to contact your flood insurance agent and visit www.floodsmart.gov and https://www.fema.gov/flood-insurance/risk-rating.

The City participates in the National Flood Insurance Program Community Rating System.  Our score currently saves eligible building owners or renters up to 25% on their eligible flood insurance premiums. 

The City of Miami Beach participates in the National Flood Insurance Program.  Due to this, flood insurance is available to building owners and renters.  There are conditions that can make building uninsurable by the National Flood Insurance Program.  Conditions on private property that can make buildings uninsurable include:

• Buildings that are 50% or more below ground level are not insurance under the NFIP.
• Buildings constructed entirely over water are not insurable under the NFIP.
• There are significant limitations on NFIP coverage in enclosures beneath elevated buildings and in buildings with basements.

FEMA is using new capabilities and tools to address rating disparities by incorporating more flood risk variables. These include flood frequency, multiple flood types—river overflow, storm surge, coastal erosion and heavy rainfall—and distance to a water source along with property characteristics such as elevation and the cost to rebuild.  For more information about flood insurance coverage, we advise you to contact your flood insurance agent and visit www.floodsmart.gov and https://www.fema.gov/flood-insurance/risk-rating

The City participates in the National Flood Insurance Program Community Rating System.  Our score currently saves eligible property owners up to 25% on their flood insurance premiums.  We strongly encourage you to obtain flood insurance, as 93% of existing buildings on Miami Beach are in the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) as defined by FEMA.

Please reach out to the team to schedule a meeting to discuss the work near your property. We continue to meet with any property owner or representative who wants more information.
Please contact public information liaison Dayana Sanjurjo via email at: dsanjurjo@mrgmiami.com.