Funds Approved For Flood Control

From State Rep. Jack Hennessy:

OX BROOK FLOOD CONTROL FUNDS RELEASED BY STATE BOND COMMISSION

State Representative Jack Hennessy (D-Bridgeport) announced the approval and release of a $260,000 design and planning grant by the State Bond Commission for ongoing efforts to mitigate flooding along Ox Brook in Bridgeport’s North End.

“Homeowners living in the 250 homes along Ox Brook have endured severe flooding from spring rains and severe storms for decades. Today’s release of funds is the first step towards ending this expensive and destructive flooding,” said Hennessy.

He continued, “It’s been a long hard battle to get a flood of funds to combat the annual flood waters of Ox Brook and begin the end of this annual disaster for North End residents.”

Ox Brook is a tributary of the Rooster River, which flows throughout the North End of Bridgeport. Due to overdevelopment in the area, unregulated construction and encroachment on the wetlands, Ox Brook floods whenever there is a torrential downpour.

The funds will be used to design and plan construction of a new, higher volume berm near the source of the floodwaters. The berm will retain the floodwaters and release them slowly to prevent downstream flooding and prevent damage to homes and roads. The plan will address Ox Brook flooding and the environment of the entire watershed.

“Flooding has been a problem in this part of my district for years, from southern Trumbull to northern Bridgeport. The residents in Rep. Hennessy’s district have taken the brunt of this problem. To help fix this, Rep. Hennessy and I worked together to secure this $260,000 to design a flood wall in Elton Rogers Park. Once built, the wall will help to keep the waters in check and homes secure,” said Senator Anthony Musto (D-Bridgeport, Trumbull, Monroe).

“I am looking forward to the time when flooding in this area of the city is a distant memory,” Rep. Charlie Stallworth (D-Bridgeport) said. “These funds are a start, but we need to keep pushing forward for full funding for berm construction as well as addressing the Hooker area and area wide issues that contribute to the problem.”

“The residents in my district have significantly suffered from the Ox Brook/Rooster River flooding issues. This much-welcome and -needed funding will, I hope, be the beginning of efforts to permanently resolve these flooding issues. I am grateful to the Governor for granting Bridgeport these funds and I am proud to have worked with the delegation to successfully address this very important issue,” Rep. Auden Grogins (D-Bridgeport) said.