The “No-Name” Storm of October 2000 in Miami-Dade County dumped up to 20 inches of rain and caused damage to about 7,000 homes resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. One of the areas that was hardest hit is located upstream of the existing NW South River Drive Bridge crossing of the Tamiami Canal. Some of this flooding was attributed to the constriction to the canal section as a result of the bridge’s foundations.
EAC conducted a Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Study to evaluate necessary improvements to the bridge crossing of the Tamiami Canal. The major needs for the project directly relate to two community safety issues: the structural capacity of the bridge, and upstream flood mitigation. Avoiding impacts to the historic 1921 steel Warren Pony-Truss bridge was also a major concern, as this historic landmark is emblematic of Miami’s early growth and development.
This high-profile, award-winning, project resolved the flooding potential by removing the constraints to the channel. This project also provided a new structurally sound and resilient bascule bridge that incorporated aesthetics that reflected and enhanced the community. To protect the historic resource, the existing historic bridge was relocated to the fork of the Miami River, thereby connecting two parks located on either side of the waterway. The relocated bridge retained its listing on the National Register of Historic Places and continues to serve as a symbol of Miami’s past.
