Florida Construction News staff writer

The Port Everglades Bulkhead Replacement Project will get underway at the end of February and continue through March 20, to assess and document the current conditions of the construction zone and all property within 200 feet prior to the launch of construction.

Survey workers will photograph and videotape existing conditions using handheld ground penetration radar equipment, GPS equipment and a drone to collect photogrammetry, scans, and video. Heavy equipment used to investigate potholes will have low-ground pressure rubber tracks to avoid or limit damage to the ground surface.

Broward County’s Port Everglades Department is replacing the bulkheads and seawalls at several locations throughout the Port and inlet, including the North Entrance Channel Seawall (NECS).

The seawalls and bulkheads were originally constructed in the 1950s and are being replaced to protect county property located on the north side of the entry channel for the safe navigation of the waterway for all marine traffic including cargo ships, cruise ships and energy vessels.

Engineers have designed the new wall similar to the existing wall surface, but it will be deeper and stronger to accommodate the planned deepening of the entrance channel and improve wall stability.

The new wall, which is expected to last 75 years or more, will be installed a few feet outside the existing wall and the space between the walls will be filled.

Project details will be finalized in April or May and construction is expected to start in Fall of 2024 with the possibility of some pre-construction work occurring earlier.

Construction is expected to cost about $17 million and will come from general revenue generated from fees that Port Everglades collects from its cruise, cargo, energy, and real estate customers.