FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis said the city government is making progress to become more resilient to flooding.
Construction workers were at the site of what will be the city’s newest storm water drainage system on Friday. Trantalis said the multimillion dollar project is a year ahead of schedule and under budget.
“It will take the drainage from Dorsey Riverbend and the Doors neighborhood and the flow … and go into the north fork of the New River," Trantalis said.
It’s the city’s response to the devastating floods that crippled some communities two years ago this month. Meteorologists said, it was a “once in a lifetime” flood.
“All over the city, we suffered tremendous flooding— what did it teach us? It taught us the plans that were sitting on shelves needed to be taken off, dusted off and implemented," Trantalis said.
Fort Lauderdale’s Edgewood neighborhood, south of State Road 84, was hit hard. Some homeowners lost everything when 26 inches of rain fell in such a short amount of time. Some streets were impassible for days.
Fire rescue personnel is also preparing. Chief Stephen Gollan said the department has new equpment to work during floodings and his teams have been training in high water.
“We continue to see the need to keep going and not let our guard down,” Trantalis said.