While the decision to bury all electrical and telecommunication lines came easily enough in a unanimous 7-0 vote last month by the Village of Key Biscayne’s Council, getting everyone to buy in might not be as easy.
Florida Power & Light officials have said they are onboard with the decision to eventually remove the power poles and overhead transformers in favor of burying cables for a more resilient and aesthetic aspect for Village residents.
However, like legendary baseball catcher Yogi Berra once quipped, “It ain’t over ’til it’s over.”
Now, it’s time for AT&T and Comcast officials to step to the plate and join the Village’s anticipated need.
“We are working closely with AT&T and Comcast, having just contacted their state and regional chiefs to ensure we stay aligned through the design and construction,” Village Manager Steve Williamson said. “I am confident that we will see positive progress.”
There was no word yet that if FPL emerged as the only company willing to bury its lines, would the telecom lines remain as is?
Williamson said at a previous meeting that the idea is to get Comcast and AT&T onboard in similar fashion as FPL, so that an actual dig could possibly start in late 2027 in the Garden District (Zone 8).
Mayor Joe Rasco only alluded to the early estimate of the project being anywhere between $66 million and $81 million, but when all the players are in line (FPL, AT&T, Comcast and HotWire), he said, “it will come back to (Council).”
In the meantime, Williamson is forging on with the telecom companies — and beyond.
“We are also meeting with Coral Gables, as they have similar concerns about the telecoms, to get ourselves united and voice our shared concerns to reinforce the need for cooperation,” he said.