Projects+Proposals
Resilient Bridgeport Project
Resilient Bridgeport proposes an integrated strategy for managing stormwater and improving access and connectivity during both dry and wet weather. A pilot project in the South End will provide replicable design concepts for reducing flood risk and improving quality of life.
Project Overview
Today, water ponds in low-lying areas. In the South End, this is particularly pronounced along Iranistan and at the Park Avenue railroad underpass. The flooding disrupts traffic, interrupts business, and diminishes safety and quality of life for neighborhood residents. The ponding that occurs is a result of runoff from surrounding upland areas flowing to low points in the drainage system and the neighborhood, and the drainage system backing up when pipes downstream are already full.
The proposed project will make evident how water flows across the landscape, and the ways in streetscapes, parks, and existing combined sewer systems can be retrofitted to make the South End a safer place for residents, support sustainable adaptation and growth, and enrich the daily lives of residents.
The project has four key components. 1) Removing water from the Park Avenue underpass allows Park to be a more reliable entry into the South End. 2) Creating “green streets” in upslope areas reduces runoff volumes and flooding while enhancing neighborhood aesthetics. 3) Channeling stormwater via green streets into public parks that are designed to hold stormwater further reduces runoff, while providing new green spaces and recreational areas for neighborhood residents. 4) Targeted separation of storm and combined sewer drains and installing a pump that removes excess runoff from the lowest lying areas reduces flood risk.
This project will serve as a case study for future projects in Bridgeport and in other coastal cities in the Northeast by demonstrating many of the objectives and possibilities outlined by the overall strategy. The project will show how “living with water” can reduce flooding, while reaffirming the importance of water – flowing water and access to water — to Bridgeport’s history and identity.
Project Components
Park Avenue at Marina Village
Where Park Avenue passes by Marina Village and under the railroad, flooding disrupts travel during and after heavy rain events. This is a critical intersection, as Park Avenue is the “spine” of high ground for the South End. Removing water from this intersection improves health and safety for the entire South End.
Green Streets
Runoff from upslope areas contributes to flooding in low-lying areas. Enhancing streets on high ground – with bioswales, rain gardens, pervious paving, and trees – helps to hold water upslope and infiltrate it into the ground. This reduces runoff and flood risk for areas lower in the watershed.
Stormwater Park
Creating a beautiful new public green space that holds large volumes of stormwater means that excess runoff from surrounding streets can be channeled safely into a controlled environment. When it is not raining, this same space doubles as a public recreational space. This new feature anchors redevelopment and revitalization efforts in the project area.
Pump and Outfall
Excess runoff that exceeds the capacity of the green streets and the stormwater park overflows into a small basin located where Iranistan passes by Marina Village. From there, a new pump lifts that runoff into a force main that empties out into nearby Cedar Creek. This reduces ponding along Iranistan as well as pressure on the existing combined sewer system.
How do we deal with the flooding on Iranistan Avenue, and the combined sewer overflows? -South End Community Member
How the project was selected
The design team and Bridgeport community has focused on ensuring that the project makes the South End safer because it reduces chronic flooding caused by rainfall and mitigates some of the effects of climate change. That the project supports sustainable adaptation and growth because it improves dry egress during storms, and enhances the viability of sites for residential, commercial, and industrial development. That the project enriches the daily lives of residents, because it enhances connections and amenities, and improves neighborhood aesthetics. The project must also strengthen the environment, bolster the identity of Bridgeport, and serve as an exemplary and replicable project that stakeholders can collaboratively build and successfully operate.
How do we deal with the flooding on Iranistan Avenue, and the combined sewer overflows? -South End Community Member
How the project was selected
The design team and Bridgeport community has focused on ensuring that the project makes the South End safer because it reduces chronic flooding caused by rainfall and mitigates some of the effects of climate change. That the project supports sustainable adaptation and growth because it improves dry egress during storms, and enhances the viability of sites for residential, commercial, and industrial development. That the project enriches the daily lives of residents, because it enhances connections and amenities, and improves neighborhood aesthetics. The project must also strengthen the environment, bolster the identity of Bridgeport, and serve as an exemplary and replicable project that stakeholders can collaboratively build and successfully operate.