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Miami Beach Wants Higher Roads And Pumps To Fight Sea Rise. Some Residents Say No Way.

Construction workers raise the height of the street and sidewalks in front of the Publix at 1920 West Ave. in Miami Beach.
Emily Michot emichot@miamiherald.com
Construction workers raise the height of the street and sidewalks in front of the Publix at 1920 West Ave. in Miami Beach.

Miami Beach won't be elevating new roads anytime soon, after fierce opposition from residents who alternatively insisted their neighborhood didn't flood and therefore didn't need higher streets, or who worried higher streets would send floodwater into their homes.

Neighbors in the city's latest stop on its internationally lauded $500 million plan to pump, pipe and elevate itself away from rising seas fought back from what they say is an unnecessary project — one they say will ruin their property values.

"We will not let Upper North Bay Road become another failed experiment," said Jane Jacobs, a resident of the tiny bayside patch of island the city had planned to spend $24 million on upgrading pipes for drinking, sewage and stormwater, as well as elevating the road.

Read more from our news partner, The Miami Herald.

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Alex Harris