Key Biscayne Master Plan 043944000.18w_Key_Biscayne_MP(forJooMag) | Page 5

Chapter 1
EXECUT IVE S U MMA R Y
In 2006 the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) voted to amend
the Florida Administrative Code to require investor owned utilities (IOU) to
file comprehensive storm hardening plans. These plans included storm
preparedness initiatives including the hardening of existing transmission
structures. Storm hardening is the upgrading of electrical facilities, as well
as maintenance practices, so they are better able to withstand extreme
weather. Storm hardening of overhead utilities includes:
 replacement of wood poles with concrete or steel poles
 addition of guy wires for pole support
 addition of poles to decrease the span between poles
to prepare a Master Plan to map out the underground conversion to its
completion.
This master plan will provide a guide for the design and implementation of
the undergrounding program. It also provides guidance on how to balance
and manage priorities, such as cost, project duration, traffic impacts, and
other capital improvement needs during this ambitious project. This master
plan summarizes the following activities and recommendations:
 Data Collection
 Design Criteria and Conceptual Design Description
 Phasing and Sequencing Plan
Florida Power & Light (FPL) has implemented these measures in many
municipalities as these initiatives were rolled out through their service area.  Project Delivery Methods
Based on the substantial costs and impacts to the electrical grid caused
by past hurricanes, FPL has embarked on a program to harden their
network of poles supporting feeder infrastructure to increase their
resiliency during future storm events. The Village decided that FPL’s
storm hardening program would have a negative impact on the Village’s
aesthetics. Considering those impacts along with the reliability and safety
benefits, the Village decided that a conversion of the overhead utilities to an
underground location, also known as undergrounding, should be pursued.
The conversion from overhead to underground facilities will improve
the safety, reliability, and aesthetics of the electric and communications
infrastructure serving the Village.  Traffic Management Plan
In the Spring of 2017, Village Council took the first step in the
undergrounding process and approved to move forward with a publicly
advertised RFQ, which would initiate the process of finding a consultant
 Risk Assessment
 Public Outreach Program
 Opinion of Schedule
 Opinion of Probable Cost
Data Collection
The Village of Key Biscayne is provided with electric service through
redundant subaqueous crossings of transmission lines below Biscayne Bay
from the mainland to Key Biscayne’s substation. Communication services
are routed from the main land over the Rickenbacker Causeway and
then underground along Crandon Boulevard to the Village where they are
then converted to aerial lines mounted to wood or concrete poles shared
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