WCOM NEWS

9-13-04

Drainage project ends in Miramar neighborhood, residents' annoyance remains

MIRAMAR--For two years, Christine Kahl tolerated the trucks, construction equipment and rocks sitting in front of her home from a neighborhood drainage project.

But now that the gear is gone, she's stuck looking at an unsightly pump station and smelling its stench, a result of the work.

"My front yard was a construction site for over a year because I live at the dead end, where they stored everything," Kahl said. "All the construction equipment is finally out of here, but now it looks like an industrial waste site. This is not what they said was coming here."

Problems with the $6 million Tropical Valley Neighborhood Improvements project left residents driving on dirt roads and dodging 10-foot holes in the street for almost two years, twice as long as expected.

Many residents said the work was unnecessary, despite the perks of improved storm water drains to ease flooding, fire hydrants with more power, sewers instead of septic tanks and freshly paved roads.

"I couldn't drive down the street, my water was turned off, they tore up my driveway, they even tore out my mailbox," said Chris Murphy, who has lived in the community for 12 years. "It's been a nightmare. The road was torn up for a couple of years, and now we homeowners have to pay to hook up to the sewer."

Murphy's street was part of the second and third phases of the project, which was finally completed in August, about a year-and-a-half behind schedule. The work started in January 2001.

"The work on the street went on and on and on," said James Watts, who has lived in the community for 15 years. "But it's good for the neighborhood. It will help insurance costs go down and make the houses worth more money."

Homes in the community, located between Palm Avenue and Douglas Road, south of Pembroke Road, are worth between $150,000 and $300,000, said Peter Maceri, a real estate agent and longtime resident.

Phases II and III of the project encompassed Southwest 100th Terrace to Southwest 97th Avenue. The work cost about $3.4 million and was designed to provide residents with improved water pressure, sewer service and drainage.

The city has yet to start on the $1.8 million Phase IV -- 96th Terrace, 96th Avenue and 95th Terrace -- which was scheduled to start in the summer of 2003. The work is expected to begin in November.

Limited access to the roads, not enough workers, switching contractors in the middle of the project and easement issues are a few of the reasons for the delay, City Manager Robert Payton said.

"Many of the existing conditions were worse than we anticipated, which modified our timeline and work plan," he said. "But ultimately, the improvements will increase the property values in the area."

The first phase of the project, which cost $1.3 million, was completed before December 2001. It entailed installing sewer and drainage lines on Pembroke Road, from 95th Terrace to Palm Avenue.

(source) Sun Sentinel (Lori Sykes) 9-13-04