Longboat Key Marks Major Milestone in Underground Utilities Project
The Town of Longboat Key celebrated a major milestone Monday in its long-term initiative to enhance storm resilience and improve community aesthetics by relocating all overhead power and telecommunications lines underground.
At a ceremony held at the town’s safety complex, one of the final above-ground utility poles was officially removed, marking a symbolic step forward in the undergrounding project that began in 2019.
Assistant Town Manager Issac Brownman noted the wide-ranging benefits of the project, from eliminating visual clutter to significantly improving the town’s ability to recover from storms. He highlighted Florida Power & Light’s assertion that restoring service after weather events is notably faster in areas with underground utilities.
As a coastal barrier island, Longboat Key is especially vulnerable to hurricanes and tropical storms. Town officials view the undergrounding project as a crucial component of their long-term strategy to enhance infrastructure resilience and safeguard essential services.
With this latest achievement, Longboat Key moves closer to completing a transformation that not only enhances safety and reliability but also preserves the island’s natural beauty.
