South End flooding. It's not long before the bluefish swim in.
In this season of peace, love and diplomacy, OIB correspondent Jim Callahan proposes a resolution to the flooding issues plaguing the South End: the brainpower at the University of Bridgeport School of Engineering develops solutions in concert with city government for a stormwater management plan. This is good for UB. This is good for the city. This is good for the South End residents. A vocal chorus of folks would love to see Mayor Bill Finch embrace the University of Bridgeport. We hope he finds a way. From Callahan:
Image from UB Engineering School
Bridgeport is a practical community without intellectual pretensions. It makes it easy for the interests and concerns of colleges to be dismissed by a general population that thinks higher education is either not of much value or unattainable.
Thus the ongoing dispute between the University of Bridgeport and Mayor Bill Finch does not get much traction in civic affairs. Supporters of the university may broil about the mayor’s comments and actions regarding the university, but he largely gets a pass from the community. Mayors are allowed to pick their own fights as long as it doesn’t hurt tax rates or trash collections.
The university is a valuable asset with both practical and economic impact. Here’s just one practical example.
The recent flood from Hurricane Sandy demonstrated once again the vulnerability of Bridgeport from serious storms. The South End, among other areas, flooded.
Mayor Bill Finch checks on Seaside Village resident as storm approaches.
At a community meeting in the South End the other day Mayor Finch offered his willingness to try to come up with solutions to tidal surges that caused most of the mess. He also warned some of the South End solutions–like berms blocking seawater–might be unpopular.
The University of Bridgeport has a special self-interest. Located in the South End, the university can’t be too fond of having Long Island Sound lapping onto Waldemere Avenue. Beachfront property is fine and all, but it does get a little ridiculous to look outside the Hubbell basketball gym and wonder if it is time for swimming practice.
The university has a nice little engineering school. It may be forgotten that one of the original purposes of UB was to provide the intellectual talent to design the machines that made the factories in Bridgeport run.
The proposal here is quite simple: UB engineering students examine the flooding problems of the South End and offer solutions. The basic topographical information for the City of Bridgeport is readily available. Information on Long Island Sound water heights and water flow patterns is readily available. Information on flooding problems is readily available.
Any competent engineering firm can blow a couple million bucks to design something that is liable to sit on a shelf. Bridgeport does an excellent job of that already with many projects.
Seaside Village historic map.
UB students under faculty direction can do it for a relative pittance. It is cheaper to toss them the money for the right computer equipment.
The community would have a chance to see a practical application of existing information by smart kids. They hopefully would get about a half dozen suggestions for mitigating the problem. The students would have a chance to do some skull work on a real problem–outside their back door.
Yes, a certified engineering firm would have to do the actual design work later.
That’s OK.
When the mayor was rummaging about solutions to the problems with residents, he talked about the headaches of getting people to go along with solutions. He is absolutely correct. It is mind-boggling on occasion to listen to people speak out against their own interests or the interests of their community–and royally screw things up.
Give the students this problem: We have floods. We don’t want to move. How do we stop the floods?
Their proposals will give everyone a chance to yak about alternatives.
It can build political will in town to see that something gets done. Nothing helps a political leader more than to know he has the real support of real voters on a real solution behind him.
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9 comments
Jim Callahan, sounds great. You state, “Thus the ongoing dispute between the University of Bridgeport and Mayor Bill Finch does not get much traction in civic affairs. Supporters of the university may broil about the mayor’s comments and actions regarding the university, but he largely gets a pass from the community. Mayors are allowed to pick their own fights as long as it doesn’t hurt tax rates or trash collections.” Well Jim, how do we the residents of Seaside Village get past Bill Finch’s position on the University of Bridgeport? Two floods in two years is too costly for us.
Ron: Mojo, I think, has it right. Use resources available.
The South End has a tough problem. Your part of the South End probably has it worst. It is not a new problem. It is not easy to solve.
It is not anyone’s problem to solve alone, whether it be the mayor, UB or some other group. This has to have some sort of community resolve for the South End and other places along the waterfront.
Another chief executive had tide problems according to history. About 1,000 years ago, King Canute (of Denmark, England, Norway and part of Sweden) pulled his throne to the beach and commanded the tides to retreat. One account tells when the throne was circled by water he took off his crown, acknowledging a higher power in charge of nature, and never wore it again. Oh well, just a story, but even CEOs have to call it a day sometimes and look for other answers, other human resources, and a new framework or viewpoint. What would it look like if Mayor Finch left his Mayoral symbol at the beach and tried some new tactics? Time will tell.
This is no different than the suggestion I made to the “powers that be” to hire summer interns from the SUNY at Stoneybrook in the golf course management program to come to Fairchild-Wheeler after National Fairways left Bridgeport in the lurch, absconding with over $2 Million due in rent and a classic golf course in shabby ruins. No one in the administration thought it a useful suggestion and kept the likes of Charlie Carroll in charge of the Parks Dept at that time. The course still has a great layout, but is in mediocre to poor condition.
Jim Callahan, sounds great. You state, “Thus the ongoing dispute between the University of Bridgeport and Mayor Bill Finch does not get much traction in civic affairs. Supporters of the university may broil about the mayor’s comments and actions regarding the university, but he largely gets a pass from the community. Mayors are allowed to pick their own fights as long as it doesn’t hurt tax rates or trash collections.” Well Jim, how do we the residents of Seaside Village get past Bill Finch’s position on the University of Bridgeport? Two floods in two years is too costly for us.
They could design a UBerm!
*** LET’S UTILIZE ALL OUR GEM RESOURCES IN THE CITY TO FIND A BETTER SOLUTION, NO? ***
While the engineers figure out a solution, remember to Vote Line C.
now.msn.com/carme-cristina-lima-a-brazilian-politician-was-busted-for-giving-cocaine-to-would-be-voters
From the Department of House of Representative Security:
usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/12/15868303-sen-menendez-employed-intern-who-was-illegal-immigrant-sex-offender-ap-reports
Using students at UB to design solutions is an excellent idea. Getting the Calamarians to implement the proposed improvements is another story.
Ron: Mojo, I think, has it right. Use resources available.
The South End has a tough problem. Your part of the South End probably has it worst. It is not a new problem. It is not easy to solve.
It is not anyone’s problem to solve alone, whether it be the mayor, UB or some other group. This has to have some sort of community resolve for the South End and other places along the waterfront.
Another chief executive had tide problems according to history. About 1,000 years ago, King Canute (of Denmark, England, Norway and part of Sweden) pulled his throne to the beach and commanded the tides to retreat. One account tells when the throne was circled by water he took off his crown, acknowledging a higher power in charge of nature, and never wore it again. Oh well, just a story, but even CEOs have to call it a day sometimes and look for other answers, other human resources, and a new framework or viewpoint. What would it look like if Mayor Finch left his Mayoral symbol at the beach and tried some new tactics? Time will tell.
This is no different than the suggestion I made to the “powers that be” to hire summer interns from the SUNY at Stoneybrook in the golf course management program to come to Fairchild-Wheeler after National Fairways left Bridgeport in the lurch, absconding with over $2 Million due in rent and a classic golf course in shabby ruins. No one in the administration thought it a useful suggestion and kept the likes of Charlie Carroll in charge of the Parks Dept at that time. The course still has a great layout, but is in mediocre to poor condition.