River Oaks Neighborhood Project
River Oaks Neighborhood Stormwater Improvements Coconut Drive Canal Drainage Project
The City of Fort Lauderdale is dedicated to improving infrastructure for the safety and resilience of our neighborhoods for all residents. In the fall of 2021, the City started the River Oaks Neighborhood Stormwater Improvements project, a $37 million investment to reduce the neighborhood’s vulnerability to flooding. The main objective is to upgrade drainage systems, tackle flooding issues, improve water quality, and reduce the impact of heavy rain events in both the River Oaks and Edgewood neighborhoods. The City is also committed to preserving the natural beauty and sustainability of the neighborhood.
Infrastructure Improvements
The improvements include the installation of drainage pipes and structures, an exfiltration trench, water quality structures, check valves, drainage culverts, and relocation of water and sewer lines. These underground enhancements aim to fortify the neighborhood against flooding.
Current Status
As of May 7, 2024, additional landscaping will be installed by the contractor within the Coconut Canal and near the recently completed pump station located at SW 21 Street and SW 12 Street. Overall the contractor has installed 278 drainage structures, over 21,000 linear feet of drainage pipe, lined over 5,000 linear feet of existing drainage pipe and reconstructed more than 61,000 square yards of swales as part of the project. All outstanding tasks and punch list items have been completed.
Anticipated Completion
Due to the diligent work of the City's contractor, Ric-Man Construction Florida Inc., the project is expected to be finished significantly earlier than planned. Instead of the original completion date of September 2024, we anticipate substantial completion in February 2024 – seven months ahead of schedule.
Before finalizing the underground portion of the drainage project, the entire system will undergo a thorough inspection, cleaning, and certification. The contractor will remain in the neighborhood, removing equipment, performing punch list work, and restoring the area throughout the spring.
Rock Placement and Vegetation
Before construction, the existing culverts were over 90% silted in and inoperable, necessitating their replacement as part of the new drainage system improvements. Following the restoration of the canal cross-section, rocks have been placed along the banks of the canal. This practice is common in South Florida canals and ditches. It preserves the integrity of the culvert crossing and prevents erosion and scouring of this critical piece of the stormwater system.
Rocks inhibit plant growth and the build-up of sediment that can inhibit the water flow and facilitate the cleaning and desilting of culverts.
The City received a permit to remove 3,010 square feet of vegetation at the SW 20th St/Coconut Canal location for the project, including mangroves. However, the contractor only removed 2,400 square feet, which was necessary to complete the project. The City attempted to minimize the removal of trees and natural vegetation as much as possible, recognizing the priority placed on retaining natural features by the neighborhood's residents. The City received approval for removing the vegetation, which was invasive and impeded drainage. This includes Brazilian Pepper. The removal was necessary to construct the stormwater feature and to allow for proper drainage.
The original project design includes landscaping that will be added before the project is completed to replace the existing landscaping that was removed. Crews will install 41 cocoplum plants on the east side of the canal and 37 green buttonwood plants along the west side. In addition, crews will add 55 trees to the swales along SW 20th Street, from Coconut Dr. to SW 10th Ave, including small leaf clusia, crape myrtles, silver buttonwood, and Simpson’s stoppers.
We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we work together to make River Oaks a safer and more resilient community.
Stay Informed
For project-related questions, please contact Project Manager Juan Carlos Samuel at 954-828-6323 or jsamuel@fortlauderdale.gov.