An Engineering Excellence Honor Award in wastewater and stormwater from the Florida Institute of Consulting Engineers (FICE) is the latest of three honors awarded to an infrastructure and stormwater treatment project in the Sunset Harbour neighborhood of Miami Beach. The FICE award was presented on August 3 at the 102nd Annual Conference FICE Banquet to representatives from the City of Miami Beach and design-build team Wade Trim and Lanzo Construction. Two additional awards garnered in 2018 for the Sunset Harbour Neighborhood Improvements Project include the Resilient Project of the Year award in the Climate Change category from the Resilient Utilities Coalition and the Category III Project of the Year Award from the Cuban American Association of Civil Engineers (CAACE).

The City of Miami Beach revised its stormwater regulations in 2014 to address rising sea levels and subsequent wet weather challenges, including higher tides, prolonged flooding after storms and salt water intrusion into infrastructure systems. Keeping close coordination with all stakeholders in mind, Wade Trim designed multiple drainage improvements in the City’s Sunset Harbour neighborhood to strengthen stormwater management capabilities and protect community assets. The project team’s detailed roadway reconstruction plan elevated neighborhood streets to two to three feet higher than the adjacent building floors to prevent flooding by directing rainwater into the new drainage system and away from building entrances.

A new pump station discharge route was designed to discharge stormwater through an outfall structure into Biscayne Bay, and the collection system was expanded and upsized to reduce the amount of time it takes to dry the streets after rain events. In addition, control panels for three existing pump stations were raised above the flood elevation. Roadway improvements designed to raise the crown elevation of the roads also featured streetscape and lighting enhancements. Redirecting stormwater away from private property and creating smooth transitions between the new roadway and driveways was key to integrating the changes into the neighborhood.

Visit our Sunset Harbour Drainage Improvements Project Highlights page for more information about the project and the widespread recognition it has received.