JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AUGUST 28, 2023) — The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has chosen Superior Construction as its preferred contractor to complete a $117 million resiliency project on State Road (S.R.) A1A in Flagler and Volusia counties. Superior has teamed with Kisinger Campo & Associates (KCA) to offer design and constructability solutions across a 13-mile stretch of S.R. A1A, designated as a Florida Scenic Highway in 2002. 

Numerous hurricanes and tropical systems have battered S.R. A1A in recent years, leaving the corridor vulnerable to future storms and subsequent severe flooding. Superior previously constructed successful retaining walls in northern Flagler Beach that FDOT hopes to emulate for this project.

“While Superior is known for its timely storm-related emergency repairs, like those performed at the Sanibel Causeway, this resiliency project aims to spare the Atlantic coastal communities of Flagler Beach and Ormond by the Sea harsh impacts of future tropical storms,” said Central Florida Division Manager Ryan Hamrick. “We hope it will become a benchmark for resilient infrastructure across coastal states.”

The scope of this phased design-build contract, Superior’s third of its kind for the state, includes reinforcing the coastline by designing and constructing two innovative fiberglass reinforced retaining walls. The buried seawalls are intended to provide long-term corrosion protection to the roadway, making it serviceable, functional and resilient for decades to come. Superior will also restore the existing beaches and dunes by reinforcing them with additional sand while minimizing environmental impacts to the popular tourist destination.

Superior will coordinate with the general public, representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection throughout the design and construction process to protect local wildlife and ensure the project adheres to strict environmental guidelines. An environmental engineer will identify sea turtle nests on project-adjacent beaches, which will be cordoned off to protect them during construction. 

The nature of the project’s emergency procurement method will allow Superior and KCA to provide an initial design and begin construction while still designing additional project features. The construction phase will initiate in late 2023 and is expected to be completed in the summer of 2025.