It will cost at least $3.8 billion over the next 40 years to keep the City of Miami dry from rising seas, according to a draft of the city’s newly released stormwater master plan.
That sum, about four times the city’s annual budget, would buy the city new mega stormwater pumps, miles of 6-foot-tall sea walls, thousands of injection wells, and a network of eight-foot diameter underground pipes. These measures, though, are not likely to keep all neighborhoods dry.
Miami faces rising ocean levels due to the effects of global climate change. Even the best engineering options now being considered cannot fully mitigate this phenomenon, though city officials say the expense will be beneficial and keep Miami livable largely as is through 2060.
The report also alludes to a future decades later that includes floating cities and converting roads to canals.
Related Stories
Multifamily Housing | Mar 16, 2015
New Jersey Supreme Court puts control of affordable housing agency in the courts
The court said the state’s affordable housing agency had failed to do its job, and effectively transferred the agency's regulatory authority to lower courts.
Codes and Standards | Mar 16, 2015
San Jose adopts bird-friendly building standard
The standard includes avoiding large chunks of transparent or reflective glass and adding fritting.
Codes and Standards | Mar 12, 2015
Energy Trust of Oregon offers financial incentives for net-zero buildings
The organization is offering technical assistance along with financial benefits.
Codes and Standards | Mar 10, 2015
Real estate interests push Congress for Census funding
The groups have joined forces to urge Congress to fully fund the 2020 Census and the annual American Community Survey in its 2016 budget.
Codes and Standards | Mar 5, 2015
Charlotte, N.C., considers rule for gender-neutral public bathrooms
A few other cities, including Philadelphia, Austin, Texas, and Washington D.C., already have gender-neutral bathroom regulations.
Codes and Standards | Mar 5, 2015
FEMA cuts off funding to Indiana after Kokomo continues building stadium in flood zone
FEMA will withhold funding on $5.5 million worth of projects such as building tornado safe rooms in schools.
Codes and Standards | Mar 5, 2015
Construction problems at prison spur support to quash non-traditional project delivery in Iowa
Iowa lawmakers are investigating construction problems at the Fort Madison prison project and are scrutinizing rules regarding project delivery on state projects.
Codes and Standards | Mar 5, 2015
AEC industry groups look to harmonize green building standards, codes
The USGBC, ASHRAE, ICC, IES, and AIA are collaborating on a single green code.
Codes and Standards | Mar 2, 2015
Nevada moves to suspend prevailing wage rules on school projects
The Nevada Senate approved a bill that would suspend prevailing wage rules on school projects.
Codes and Standards | Mar 2, 2015
Proposed energy standard for data centers, telecom buildings open for public comment
The intent of ASHRAE Standard 90.4P is to create a performance-based approach that would be more flexible and accommodating of innovative change.
