New ingesting water pipes are going into the bottom at a quick charge on Islamorada’s Plantation Key.
Work is shifting so effectively alongside U.S. 1 that contractors for the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority say the 6 miles of recent water transmission most important could possibly be completed before initially anticipated.
Aaron Cutler, undertaking supervisor, advised Islamorada council members at a latest assembly that crews efficiently positioned 15,208 ft of recent, 36-inch ingesting water pipe into the bottom.
“That’s a very massive quantity and we’ve solely been at this since March,” Cutler mentioned, including they’re on monitor to complete round March 2026.
Set up of recent pipe close to MM 88.5 hit pause with a two-day lobster mini-season bringing extra visitors onto the Abroad Freeway the prior weekend. Cutler mentioned trench slicing continued by July 29 earlier than the lobster mini-season started the morning of July 30. The 2-day lobster catching ends at midnight on July 31.
Water most important set up gained’t resume till Sunday, Aug. 3, Cutler mentioned.
When the undertaking is full, some 32,000 linear ft of recent water most important will probably be put in from Snake Creek Bridge to Julep Highway in Tavernier. Crews trench and coat the pipes throughout the day. At night time, pipe set up and backfill will get underway.
Crews are shifting so quick that they’re anticipated to succeed in Coral Shores Excessive Faculty round September. Cutler mentioned they have been initially anticipating work might start mid-August, but it surely was pushed again to cope with some logistics with college students again within the classroom and extra exercise within the space.
“We’ve executed some minor modifications to the design … taking a look at issues a number of alternative ways to strive to make sure now we have at the least one northbound lane open, much like what we did throughout the Tavernier Creek Bridge crossing,” he mentioned.
Crews put in water transmission most important underwater at Tavernier Creek Bridge earlier within the 12 months. The work triggered visitors congestion on the northbound facet of U.S. 1 with one lane shut down from late March by mid-Could. Changing an aged, 30-inch pipe with a brand new 36-inch transmission most important within the floor at Tavernier Creek Crossing took 60 days. The undertaking was estimated to final three months.
FKAA says the present 30-inch water most important, which carries ingesting water from an underground aquifer in Florida Metropolis to Keys taps, has reached its lifespan. FKAA delivers almost 20 million gallons of water a day all through the Keys.
Crews are working across the clock Monday by Friday, with exception of main holidays, occasions like lobster mini-season and inclement climate. Crews are shifting north in 1,000-foot increments because the pipes get put in. Entry to all companies will probably be maintained, Cutler mentioned. Companies may also be notified prematurely of labor happening of their space.
“If we’re in entrance of your corporation, the contractor is doing all the things they will to take care of entry,” Cutler mentioned. “That’s a contract requirement to take action. If somebody doesn’t have entry, contact me and we’ll be sure that occurs. We transfer by the realm fairly shortly.”
Motorists are reminded that left-hand turns are usually not permitted within the work zone. Motorists ought to proceed previous the supposed vacation spot, make a U-turn when it’s protected and authorized to take action, then flip proper into the vacation spot.