Flood plan could finish up by 2012
State, city money push river project forward
Two years ago, a torrential Mother's Day rainstorm brought 4 feet of water to Peabody Square, forced hundreds to evacuate their homes, and cost the state and federal government $12 million to clean up.
Prior to that storm, Mayor Michael Bonfanti's pleas for state and federal funds to help pay for a city flood mitigation program were unsuccessful. But over the last year, the state has pledged $4 million toward the $20 million project, and the city could be in line to receive $7 million more from the state by year's end. With $3 million of its own funds dedicated to the project, the city is on a fast track to complete the project.
"All the construction could be done by 2012," said Dick Carnevale, Peabody's director of public services.
In addition, the city got some more good news recently when the Army Corps of Engineers announced that it would spend $225,000 to conduct a feasibility study on the North River. Once the study is completed next year, the Army Corps will decide if it will subsidize the widening and cleaning of the North River - which carries flood waters from the city and empties into Salem Harbor. If it agrees to widen the river, the Army Corps will spend $4.3 million on the project, with the city paying $2.3 million for the work.
"These are exciting times, having the Army Corps involved," said Bonfanti.
Over the last 12 years, Peabody has had five major floods, which have made Peabody Square - which more than 25,000 cars pass through each weekday - impassable. The floods occur during torrential rains over a 24-hour period, causing brooks and streams to overflow and flood sections of the city. During the heavy rains, brooks that come together under Peabody Square overflow, pushing the water above ground and toward homes and businesses. Ordinarily, the underground brooks would flow toward the Salem River, but during heavy rains, the river backs up, especially during high tides.
Since the 2006 Mother's Day flood, Bonfanti has stepped up his lobbying efforts. After the flood, the city spent more than $1 million to widen brooks and remove debris from the channels. And, over the last year, Bonfanti has met with Governor Deval Patrick and Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray to push for continued funding.
Still, Bonfanti warned residents to watch for signs of flooding. "I want to caution people that this is going to take some time and people in the city should not be lulled into a false sense of security."
Bonfanti and other city officials say that eliminating the flooding in Peabody Square is key to any turnaround to the economically depressed downtown. These days, more than 30 storefronts are vacant in the 50-acre area.
And, for downtown business owners and residents, flooding has caused major headaches in the past. City officials say that since 1996, the rising waters have cost businesses and residents more than $200 million in damages.
Sean Fitzgerald, Bonfanti's chief of staff, said he believes that once the flooding problems cease, the downtown will become an attractive destination for new businesses. "It's going to put a real powder keg of economic opportunity on the table," Fitzgerald said.
City officials, like Carnevale and Fitzgerald, say widening the North River is one of the biggest and costliest phases of the mitigation project. The river's width will more than double, from 18 feet to 38 feet. While the project calls for straightening the river and removing angles, which were installed last century to slow the flow to allow tanneries to remove water, the plan also calls for rebuilding four bridges that pass over the North River.
Carnevale said the city is in line to receive $4 million in subsidies for the bridge construction from the state Executive Office of Transportation. Each bridge is scheduled to be lengthened from 18 feet to 38 feet.
