The white flags along the highway, bay side, are part of the $1.86 million FDOT Landscaping Project that is underway. Each flag marks the location and species of the tree or shrub to be planted in the FDOT Right of Way.

We wonder what happens to these white flags when the Right of Way is mowed!

The Village’s Public Works Department has maintained the U.S. Highway 1 right-of-way located within the Village’s municipal boundaries through an agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation (“FDOT”) in place since 2007.  

The current 1-year agreement from July 11, 2025 to July 10, 2026 provides for FDOT to pay the Village $65,644/year to maintain the U.S. One Right of Way through Islamorada, approximately 18 miles, both sides of the highway.

In 2007, when the Village took over the maintenance, FDOT had been mowing once a month.  The Village preferred to upgrade the maintenance and agreed to a $65,000 contract reimbursement from FDOT for the Village effort.

The current Road Maintenance budget for Public Works is $784,813.  It is not known how much of that is spent for the Village’s upgraded U.S. One maintenance and how much is spent mowing along other Village owned roads.