Utility and Highway Design
Join project manager Phoebe Cuevas Molina, PE, for a tour.
The Yacht Harbor Manor neighborhood in Riviera Beach, Florida, which was developed in the 1960s, had aging infrastructure, clogged sewers, and frequent flooding. City officials decided to address those issues with a sustainable solution for this intracoastal neighborhood.
That solution entailed replacing old clay sewer pipes and old cast-iron water mains and force mains with PVC pipes suitable for the saline groundwater conditions.
The drainage outfalls, which were discharging directly into the intracoastal waterway, were upgraded with new pipes that include exfiltration trenches that now provide water quality for the first flush of runoff.
Full reconstruction of the entire pavement within the right-of-way was performed, and the new pavement in this low-lying neighborhood is now concrete to better withstand inundation from a tropical storm or hurricane.
Since much of the existing roadway network was constructed very flat, Erdman Anthony’s design included a full-roadway profile grade line design. This effort was completed with cross sections at each driveway to confirm that the project would not result in drainage that flows from the right-of-way towards a home.
Additionally, a valley gutter was installed; therefore, our design improved not only the water quality for the neighborhood, but also the surface drainage.
The water and sewer improvements also included a detailed look at the existing service lines and a sequence of construction plans to direct the contractor to maintain water and sewer service to the homes throughout construction.
The utility improvements were permitted through the city’s utility department and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (Palm Beach County Health Department). The drainage improvements were permitted through the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD).
The addition of exfiltration trenches now provides water-quality treatment and is a benefit to the ecology of the area.
Lastly, a construction dewatering plan was prepared due to the proximity of the saline body of water, and the permit for that was obtained from SFWMD. Our plan also called for protection of the downstream waterway through the use of turbidity barriers and routine testing throughout construction.
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Sustainable Design Impact
Regrading the roadway and replacing the asphalt pavement with concrete have mitigated flooding in this low-lying neighborhood. The new exfiltration trenches also have reduced the amount of stormwater-runoff sediment entering the intracoastal waterway.
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Awards
American Concrete Pavement Association
2020 Sustainable Practices Recognition Award