Boulevard blues: 3 more months of road work

Since last summer dug up streets and traffic detours have caused headaches for boulevard commuters. But planners say the underground work will be complete by mid-summer.

Currently the Metro-Dade Water and Sewer Department project is taking place on 24th Street. The crews are strip lining and installing a small fiberglass pipe into existing pipes to reduce the risk of overflows and ruptures.

``We are just trying to increase capacity,'' said Maria Ignes Castro, spokeswoman for Miami-Dade Water and Sewer.

The $10 million project began last summer. Originally it was to begin on the south end of the boulevard and completed on the north end.

The schedule did not go as planned.

Metro-Dade tried to accommodate several groups by doing a little work here and a little work there and avoid certain streets on the boulevard.

Even the city of Miami asked for delays in certain spots. They wanted the county to postpone their work on the southern part of Biscayne due to parades and other activities planned for the area.

Also, the Department of Transportation asked to keep the boulevard up to 17th Street clear of crews from Thanksgiving to Easter because of tourism.