ROADWAY AND DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT ON BERTHA STREET AND FIRST STREET IN KEY WEST FINISHES

ROADWAY AND DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT ON BERTHA STREET AND FIRST STREET IN KEY WEST FINISHES

KEY WEST, FL – Monroe County’s Bertha Street and First Street Roadway and Drainage Improvement Project was recently completed in partnership with the City of Key West. The County’s work scope included drainage installation, roadway reconstruction, and rehabilitation. The City of Key West’s scope included sidewalks, crosswalks, landscaping cutouts, signage, traffic control, harmonization with private properties, and installing new water meters for the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority.

“The project was challenging but successful due to the coordination and collaboration of the stakeholders, and a special thanks to the business owners and homeowners for their patience throughout the extended construction process,” said Monroe County Engineering Services Project Manager Debra London. “A drive down Bertha and First is a new experience with raised ADA-accessible sidewalks and new curbs and gutters. It is quite a different experience than just a few years ago.”

Bertha Street was connected to the City of Key West’s existing Dennis Street pump station, and the First Street gravity drainage system was upgraded to prevent saltwater road flooding during king tide events. The County has begun a drainage study to plan for the future addition of a pump station to the First Street system to counteract the increasing impacts of sea-level rise and king tides.

“The recent improvements should provide relief from the periodic ‘sunny day’ king tide flooding that residents have experienced in the past, but heavy rain occurring during an extreme king tide event may take a bit longer to drain fully,” said Monroe County Director of Engineering Judy Clarke.

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