A majority of Islamorada now has a new and larger water main in the ground.
From Tea Table Relief at MM 79.5, contractors for the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority began placing 36-inch-diameter steel pipes in 2023 to replace an aged line. Working their way through Upper Matecumbe and Windley Keys, crews recently finished placing several miles of new water transmission main from the southern end of Plantation Key at Snake Creek Bridge to Tavernier Creek Bridge.
Crews placed more than 10 miles of new transmission into the ground in the last three years. A pricey replacement, each mile of new pipe costs $10 million.
Some of the recent work at the northern end of Plantation Key experienced delays due to king tide flood and unanticipated utility conflicts. Overall, Greg Veliz, FKAA executive director, said the projects in Islamorada have gone better than he could have expected.
“We’ve had a lot more good spots than bad spots,” he said. “At the end of the day, 20% of the pipeline was replaced in three years. … I see that as impressive.”
The new, 36-inch diameter steel water main was installed via open-cut trench, a method FKAA says ensures the pipe’s not compromised by the Keys’ aggressive soils and subterranean tidal flows. The pipe is cathodically protected, intended to prevent corrosion over time.
At Tea Table Relief and Tavernier Creek Bridge, crews installed the water main underwater via horizontal direction drill. The pipe will be protected from high winds and storm surges.
With work complete in Islamorada, construction crews shifted to the northern end of Tavernier Creek Bridge to install the new main to Julep Road in Tavernier. The installation is approaching the Ocean Boulevard intersection. Motorists traveling up U.S. 1 to Tavernier are experiencing traffic delays with one lane shut down from the southern end of Tavernier Creek Bridge to Ocean Boulevard to allow for the installation work. The backups are especially seen between 3 to 6 p.m.
In addition, left-hand turns out of Tavernier Towne Plaza’s southern exit will be blocked from Sunday through Thursday from 8:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m., through March. Per the Florida Department of Transportation, left-hand turns are not permitted in the work zone. Similar left-hand turns will soon be disallowed out of the plaza’s other exit near McDonald’s. FKAA said a flagger and police officers are on site at these exits Sunday through Thursday from 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. to assist with traffic flow.
FKAA said the speed is 35 mph through the work zone. Access to all businesses will be maintained and businesses will be notified in advance of work taking place near their location.
Veliz said he appreciates the collaboration and cooperation among Islamorada village officials, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and the Monroe County school district.
Originally scheduled to be completed in March 2026, the water main replacement is now expected to finish in April. Veliz said FKAA is working to secure grant funding to begin the next water main replacement, south of MM 79. The project will replace 7 miles of aged pipe and cross four bridges. The project price tag is $88 million.
“People ask me all the time, ‘When will you be done?’ If we do it right, never,” Veliz said. “If we do this correctly and the money holds, by the time we get done replacing all the Keys it’ll be time to replace it again.”
