North Bay Village is built upon three man-made islands in Miami-Dade County:  Harbor Island, North Bay Island and Treasure Island. These islands were constructed in Biscayne Bay, between Miami and Miami Beach in the mid-1940s and span roughly 525 acres. Despite its small footprint the city has continued to draw residents and tourists alike, prompting the State of Florida to place the islands of North Bay Village under the environmental protections of the Aquatic Preserve Act.

The strain placed on the city’s infrastructure by its bourgeoning population has been compounded in recent years by global and local changes in the environment, such as rising sea levels, rising groundwater, and increased rainfall amounts. North Bay Village regularly experiences sunny day flooding during semiannual king tide events and has become prone to extreme ponding. The prevalence of standing water across the islands means normal rainfall can cause a breach of existing seawalls and render the city incapacitated. To mitigate flooding and enhance resiliency, safety and quality of life, the city has developed a Stormwater Master Plan that includes a $100 million Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) to protect critical infrastructure, local business, and properties.

ECT and its partners at Black & Veatch were selected to manage the Stormwater Improvements and Roadway Reconstruction Program. As stormwater and roadway project managers, our team is working with the city to achieve the many goals included in its CIP.  Our team is tasked with defining a strategy to design, permit and construct the following infrastructure improvements included in the CIP:

• Roadway reconstruction and streetscape improvements including complete reconstruction of the roadway cross section, as well as a designed profile and cross slope to adapt for current and future sea level rise impacts.
• Stormwater system improvements including removal of the existing drainage system and design and construction of nine pump stations. Installation of an interconnected drainage system will include new piping, catch basins, manholes, pollution control structures, backflow preventers at the outfalls, and new seawall.