SR 5/Overseas Highway in Big Pine Key necessitated a comprehensive range of transportation and landscape engineering services, executed with the utmost consideration for the environment. With a significant portion of the road traversing or adjacent to the National Key Deer Refuge, the project design was heavily influenced by the goal of avoiding the attractiion of key deer into the right of way, as well as to not creating visual barriers to obstruct visibility of the deer by vehicles.
District 6 of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) selected the PRIME AE team to undertake the delicate task. The project required extensive coordination with the National Key Deer Refuge staff, environmental consultants, and local county personnel. Our team took the lead in organizing a public information meeting on Big Pine Key, providing an opportunity for local citizens and stakeholders to offer their input and discuss the project. During these meetings, a critical issue emerged: the citizens expressed a strong desire for the use of native vegetation on the project. To meet this requirement, our team conducted thorough research on native plant species and sought guidance from a local environmentalist and arborist.
Our team continued to provide valuable services post-design, performing site visits at significant project milestones. The project was under construction with a significant portion installed when Hurricane Irma struck the Keys. The selected native plant palette withstood the strong winds, heavy rain, and flooding with minimal adverse impacts.
The completion of SR 5/Overseas Highway resulted in minimal disruption to the key deer and maximized the use of native flora, successfully meeting the needs of the local community while protecting the Key’s natural environment.
