One year ago, at the December, 2007 Monroe County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) meeting, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) presented their Five Year Work Program to the Monroe County Commission, announcing that US-1 in Key Largo needed to be resurfaced.

Excellent, most of us thought, the road and shoulder are in disrepair.

It was only after FDOT’s presentation was complete that we learned that FDOT’s “resurfacing” included a ten-foot shoulder that would serve as a fifth lane for evacuations. Facing strong grass-roots and official opposition to the wide shoulder, FDOT asked the Florida Department of Community Affairs (DCA) to intervene, telling the County Commissioners that DCA had asked Monroe County to delay a decision until a new evacuation study was complete. FDOT said that study would be complete in two months. However, DCA had NOT asked Monroe County to delay a decision, the study would take at least six months, and DCA has assiduously declined to intervene.

On November 19th, 2008, the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) adopted a Resolution asking FDOT to amend their Five Year Work Program for resurfacing projects on the island of Key Largo, to pave a four-foot shoulder instead of their planned ten-foot shoulder. 

When asked afterward if they intended to comply with the wishes of the BOCC, FDOT stated “We are considering our options.”

On December 3rd, 2008 the Florida Department of Transportation rolled out their latest Five Year Work Program. Instead of complying with the request of the Monroe County Commission, FDOT deferred resurfacing until 2013, waiting for the DCA study. On December 17th, 2008, FDOT will make this year’s annual presentation to the BOCC.

So, FDOT has established that US-1 in Key Largo needs to be resurfaced, but rather than comply with the direction of the County Commission, FDOT will delay resurfacing (and we will live with the ruts) until six years after they declared it deficient, while FDOT lobbies DCA again to overrule local authority.

In other words, Mommy told FDOT that it was Daddy’s decision and he said NO, so FDOT will ask Mommy again when she gets home.

Oh yeah, that means they will withhold the completion of the very popular Overseas Heritage Trail and the FDOT-endorsed Corridor Enhancement Plan in Key Largo until 2014 and beyond. Those two programs would fix the unsightly shoulder, beautify the roadside, encourage bicycle tourism, calm vehicular traffic and bolster roadside business activity.

FDOT should be pressured to comply with the reasonable recommendations of our local elected officials.