LTC 227-2002
CITY of MIAMI BEACH
Office of the City Manager
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Letter to Commission No.:l21.c20{)~
Mayor David Dermer and
Members of the City Commission
Jorge M. Gonzalez t'^'~
City Manager 0 U
SUBJECT: MIDDLE BEACH EROSION CONTROL BREAKWATER PROJECT
TO:
FROM:
Date: October 9. 2002
The purpose of this LTC is to inform the Mayor and Commission that the construction of
the Middle Beach Erosion Control Breakwater Project has been successfully completed.
Construction of the innovative beach erosion control project began on May 6, 2002 and
was completed on July 3, 2002, approximately 30 calendar days ahead of schedule.
The set of three breakwaters were built alon~
the beachfront area between 28th and 34
Streets to redirect wave energies and control
the coastal processes to reduce the
chronically high rate of erosion that persists
in that "hot spot" area.
The breakwater structures were built from
tetrahedron-shaped concrete modules and
native coral rock boulders. The area between
the former waterline and the new
breakwaters was filled with sand that was
brought up from Lummus Park.
Tetrahedron Modules
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Coral Rock Boulders
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Construction of the breakwaters and the sand relocation operations both required
portions of the beachfront area to be temporarily closed to public access. A series of
daily work zones were established for the sand recovery operations and breakwater
construction. The work zones allocated adequate space to safely and efficiently
complete the project, while minimizing the area of the beachfront to which public access
was temporarily prohibited. The work zones and staging areas were modified
accordingly to accommodate several special events. Safety barricades, signage and
security personnel were also utilized to ensure public safety.
It should be noted that the City received outstanding support from the Ocean Drive
Association and the Greater Miami and The Beaches Hotel Association during the
planning and construction of this project.
Arial View of Pre-Breakwater Shoreline.
(Computer-generated image)
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The performance of the breakwaters and the stability of the beach areas behind and
adjacent to the breakwaters will be carefully monitored, on a bi-monthly basis, over the
next two years. Early indications are that the breakwaters are performing extremely
well. However, the project area will have to withstand a winter storm season before its
overall effectiveness can truly be assessed.
The Middle Beach Breakwater project is the first phase of a master plan to develop a
series of erosion control breakwaters, positioned in key areas along the shoreline, to
widen the beaches and slow the erosion process.
If you have any questions or need any additional information about this project, please
feel free to contact me, or Bruce Henderson in the Environmental Resources
Management Division of the Public Works Department.
JMGJRCMlFHBlbdh
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