This afternoon a spokesman for the Florida Department of transportation said all the bridges from Homestead to MM 16 are safe for travel. The announcement speeds the return of Tier 1 and Tier 2 essential personnel to Monroe County, officials said, to aid in recovery efforts. Currently, only Tier 1 and Tier 2 employees are allowed back into the Keys. This includes all law enforcement emergency responders, utility workers and a smattering of other essential personnel. The staging has already begun at the race track speedway in Homestead, then the checkpoint for re-entry begins at Racetrack gas station in Florida City. The general public, including residents, will not be allowed back into the Keys until further notice.
A representative from the Florida Keys Electric Co-op said there are no apparent issues with the line into Marathon. The transmission line into Marathon could be energized tonight, and some neighborhoods could regain power tomorrow.
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Captain Jonathan Crane says the Stock Island Detention Facility does not have power, water or medical staff.
The Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority has said assessment teams are making progress but “still have a long way to go.” The water pressure diminishes somewhere in Islamorada. The FKAA will turn on water in Key West again tomorrow from 10 a.m. to noon. All the water in the Keys needs to be boiled or purified for drinking.
