March 8, 2024, Media Release

MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Aimee Adler Cooke (561) 302-6902 (or) aimee@conceptualpr.com 

The Islamorada Transmission Main Replacement Project will Continue Through Whale Harbor Crossing in March 2024

Key West, FL (March 8, 2024) – As part of the Islamorada Transmission Main Replacement Project, the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority (FKAA) will begin work on March 13, 2024, to install 1,750 feet of pipe at Whale Harbor Crossing. The pipe will be installed underwater via directional drill, to ensure protection from high winds and storm surges. 

“The work at Whale Harbor Crossing is a critical piece to the Islamorada Transmission Main Replacement Project,” said Greg Veliz, Executive Director of the FKAA. “The pipe at the north end of the crossing will serve as the future connection point to the new Windley Key main that we will begin installing later this spring. The Islamorada and Windley Key projects will remedy sections of the original main that are most vulnerable.”

The Whale Harbor Crossing segment is expected to take between three and six months to complete. Crews will work from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and will pause work for major holidays and events. Rolling lane closures for the Whale Harbor Crossing segment are not expected, but shoulder barrels will be present. Motorists should proceed with caution and maintain a speed limit of 35 MPH through the work zone. 

The Islamorada Transmission Main Replacement Project (MM 79 to MM 84) is progressing ahead of schedule. Traffic impacts are expected to lessen after March 2024, and the project is expected to be completed in February 2025. In April 2024, the Windley Key Transmission Main Replacement Project will begin. Crews will replace about a mile and a half (8,250 linear feet) of the 30-inch transmission main with a new 36-inch cathodically protected main.

For more information about FKAA and the upcoming Whale Harbor Crossing work, visit https://bit.ly/islamoradaproject or follow the FKAA on Facebook and X. If you have questions, please contact a local, FKAA customer service representative by calling (833) 588-5865 or emailing community@fkaa.com. After-hours support is available at (305) 296-2454.

ABOUT THE FLORIDA KEYS AQUEDUCT AUTHORITY (FKAA) 

Headquartered in Key West, Florida, the FKAA is the water service provider for the Florida Keys, supplying potable water to all residents while providing reclaimed water and wastewater services in select areas. The team’s dedication to their customers is reflected in their extensive water quality protection program, their water supply planning, commitment to conserving precious natural resources, and their superior local customer service. To learn more visit https://www.fkaa.com/, follow the FKAA on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FKAAwater/ and X at https://twitter.com/FKAAwater.