Miami-Dade County’s Northwest 87th Avenue expansion and roadway improvement project has been delayed after construction workers spotted two American Bald Eagles and a nest in a tree located near the unincorporated community of Palm Springs North at approximately N.W. 181 Street.
The county’s Public Works Department informed Vice Chair of the Miami-Dade Commission Esteban Bovo, Jr. that workers were forced to stop the work last week in his district because the endangered species are protected by the Florida Wildlife Commission.
The Bald Eagles are nesting and the season for nesting ends around May 15.
Construction can then resume, according to Bovo’s office.
Construction of the project commenced last year and was slated to be completed sometime later this year or in 2016.
The project includes widening the lanes from N.W. 170th Street to Miami Gardens Drive to alleviate traffic congestion, installing a 36 inch water main and the replacement of a 47 inch by 71 inch culvert cross in for the N.W. 170 Street canal, which was required at the intersection of N.W. 87th Avenue and N.W. 170 Street.
In addition, a proposed project may also have to be put on hold because of the Bald Eagles.
Last week, the Miami-Dade Community Council 5 approved a development plan, with some conditions and restrictions, to build a Walmart neighborhood grocery center and pharmacy at N.W. 87th Avenue and Miami Gardens Drive.
Among the conditions were reducing the square footage to 55,000 and that no two stores shall be combined or joined together.
The developers are aware of the eagle nest and working with the Eagle Watch Group and the Florida Wildlife Commission to make sure any proposed construction doesn’t harm the endangered species and their nest.