Sea Level Rise & Flooding Mitigation
What is a Complete Street?
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Complete Streets are “streets designed and operated to enable safe use and support mobility for all users. Those include people of all ages and abilities, regardless of whether they are travelling as drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, or public transportation riders.”
A Complete Street approach is an efficient and cost-effective way to mitigate the effects of sea level rise and flooding due to increased precipitation events. This is because the roadway is considered an extension of the stormwater management system.
Complete Streets can incorporate green infrastructure into the roadway design, while elevating previous areas and roadways when advisable based on flooding and sea level rise projections.
What do Complete Streets look like?
Complete Streets are unique to the community context; a Complete Street in Key Biscayne will look different from a Complete Street in a more rural community. Complete Streets may include:
- Raised roads in areas vulnerable to flooding
- Wide sidewalks
- Vegetated swales for stormwater infiltration and conveyance
- Bike lanes and/or wide paved shoulders,
- Green infrastructure for stormwater management (bioswales, pervious pavement/surfaces, infiltration and treatment areas, rain gardens, etc.)
- Special bus lanes with comfortable and accessible public transportation stops
- Frequent and safe pedestrian crossing opportunities
- Median islands for increased pervious areas
- Accessible pedestrian signals
- Curb extensions
- Narrower travel lanes
- Roundabouts, and more.
Project Overview
Estimated GOB Project Cost: $40,000,000
Estimated Project Size: 40 miles
Estimated Duration: 7 years
Project Status: Planning
Project Manager: PW / CRSO
Solutions
- Inadequate sidewalks
- Inadequate and/or nonuniform street lighting
- Poor pedestrian and cyclist safety
- Poor roadways
- Inadequate parking
- Inadequate drainage
- Impacts of climate change and sea level rise
- Poorly maintained swales
Benefits + Impacts
- Improved safety
- Encouraged walking and bicycling
- Provides more room for children to get physical activity
- Provide parking spaces
- Improve air quality
- Uniform, well maintained landscaping
- Increased property values
Sea Level Rise
The Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact recently updated its sea level rise projections which indicate that over the next 20 years sea level is expected to rise 10-17 inches. This projection threatens the Village of Key Biscayne shoreline, escalating the existing street flooding effects and impacts to the safety, economy, and quality of life for Key residents.