Monroe County commissioners heeded the wishes of Stillwright Point residents who wanted their roads raised to address a decade-long flooding problem from king tides and storms. A decision by county officials came following a three-hour Dec. 12 workshop that went over various alternatives for the bayside community.
Five alternatives were on the table for commissioners to consider for Stillwright Point residents during the gathering at the Murray Nelson Government Center. County officials said a $41 million project is currently in the design phase to raise the road some 15 inches above ground and install a pressurized stormwater system to move water and mitigate king tides. A project design wasn’t expected until 2025, and residents wanted a quicker and simpler fix. On top of that, labor and material costs doubled as county officials continue to seek state funding through a newer resilience funding program.
“With the Florida Legislature, they could fund Monroe County projects for the next 20 years and we could take all the money and nobody would ever get anything,” Haag said. “That’s what we would love. Unfortunately that’s not the case.”
Commissioners ultimately went with an alternative requested by many Stillwright Point residents during a public comment period, to add 1 to 6 inches of asphalt to their roads and streets. The cost to raise the roads is around $2.5 million. No drainage was proposed under the alternative. Emilio Corrales, project manager with the engineering firm HDR, said elevations vary on the streets within the community.
“Once you raise this location, you may be pushing the water to another property or another location,” he said, adding that 2025 king tide projections show some 17 inches of water above the road’s edge.
North Drive resident Andy Sikora said discussions have gone on for nine years. He backed the idea of raising the road 6 inches.
“We need some improvement,” he said.
Mayor Holly Merrill Raschein said the commission is willing to move the project forward as fast as possible. But it won’t happen over the next day or week, she acknowledged. County Administrator Roman Gastesi said the design phase could take two months.
“We’ll push it,” he said. “It’s a matter of months, not a matter of years.”
Before discussion ensued over Stillwright Point, county officials provided an update on a pilot project dating back to 2017 at Key Largo’s Twin Lakes community seeking to address similar flooding issues. Judy Clark, county engineering director, said the project is in the bidding phase, with work expected in 2024. Raising roads and installation of new drainage and stormwater collection are expected to take 22 months.
