Projects
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.
Design Plans
Flood Risk Reduction Project
FRRP 30% Design Plans FRRP 60% Design Plans FRRP 90% Design Plans
Rebuild by Design
RBD 60% Design Plans RBD 90% Design Plans RBD Final Design Plans
Rebuild By Design Baseline Project Schedule
Rebuild by Design (RBD) Milestones:
Advertised (posted for bid online): 12/25/2024
Awarded: 4/27/2025
Notice to Proceed (NTP): 7/11/2025
Estimated Completion of Construction: Mid June 2027
The purpose of the Resilient Bridgeport Program is to create a more resilient South End Bridgeport community, support its long-term viability, and improve health and safety for the community’s vulnerable populations. It aims to advance the State’s broader Connecticut Connections Coastal Resilience Plan by providing stormwater management, dry evacuation routes, a coastal flood defense system, and community resiliency education.
The Rebuild by Design (RBD) Project is a pilot stormwater management project at the former Marina Village public housing site. The RBD Project received $10 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and $10 million from the State of Connecticut Bond Commission (DOH Flex).
The RBD project is bounded by South St. to the north, Iranistan Ave. to the west, Ridge Ave. to the south, and generally by Columbia St.to the east. Johnson St.Extension will be constructed with a minimum elevation of fourteen (14) North American Vertical Datum (NAVD) and connect to the existing elevation east of Columbia St. A small portion of the existing Johnson St. located east of Columbia St. will be elevated.
The stormwater park will be located between the new Johnson St. Extension and Ridge Ave. and will have a capacity sufficient to handle a 100-year storm event while the pump station will convey the peak flow from a 25-year event through a new 375 linear foot force main and accept stormwater from the Seaside Village neighborhood. Additional improvements at the stormwater park location include new ADA ramps, signage and pavement markings and crosswalks. The pump station will include a submersible pump with a standby generator and controls within the building.
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.
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.