Brady PieperOfficials in Florida are providing funding to a new project to help prepare crucial transportation infrastructure for the impacts of flooding, sea-level rise and other weather events that are becoming more common because of climate change.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection is announcing a $19.5 million grant to further a climate resiliency project at PortMiami. This grant will support the construction of a new elevated Berth 10 bulkhead system aimed at shielding the port’s uplands from flooding and damage caused by rising sea levels.
The PortMiami project will replace the current shoreline at Berth 10 with a new elevated bulkhead. Bulkheads, created out of strong materials like concrete, steel or timber, are a structural barrier designed to protect land or infrastructure from water erosion and other environmental impacts. With bulkhead lifespan varying on material, PortMiami will install this new bulkhead to reset the clock on existing eroding infrastructure.
Additionally, the project will incorporate stormwater management improvements and install an angled transition submerged toe wall designed to integrate with the living shoreline. These upgrades are intended to prevent flood waters from infiltrating PortMiami’s crucial infrastructure, which includes a bidirectional cargo roadway, a cargo yard and an electrical substation.
The funding for the project comes from the Resilient Florida Program, which works to deliver grants for climate action projects that protect waterways, coastlines and shores. Aligning with DEP’s goals, PortMiami’s grant also supports Miami Dade county’s Climate Action Strategy and Future-Ready Economic Plan.
The Resilient Florida Program is a state initiative, passed in 2021, intended to improve Florida’s infrastructure and natural systems’ resilience in the face of rising sea levels and climate change. Established to address increasing rates of extreme weather events and environmental changes, the program provides grants and funding opportunities to state agencies, municipalities, counties, special districts, authorities or other construction management firms to protect and fortify Florida’s critical infrastructure, safeguard communities and preserve natural resources.
Projects funded by the Resilient Florida Program typically include improvements to stormwater management systems, coastal defenses combating sea level rise and flood protection measures, as well as initiatives to restore and enhance natural ecosystems that can buffer the impacts of flooding and erosion.
By investing in these areas, the program echoes the state’s commitment to proactive climate change action and maintaining the safety and vitality of Florida’s communities.
James R. Tourtellotte, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
