Reader Writes Letter to Gov. Lamont on Drainage Improvement Funding

Dear Governor Lamont,

My wife Sharon and I have been communicating with our local officials and our residents for months. Now is the time for our State Officials to assist us with the Allen St. Problem.

Our local officials have stepped up with a $4.2M commitment to fund our 30% share of the $13.9M Allen St. Drainage Improvements and Reconstruction Phase 2 Project. Now it’s time for the State to step up with a bonding initiative to cover the outstanding $9.7M balance. Mayor’s Stewart’s commitment letter including other important details is attached.

Legislators Napoli, Piscopo, B. Sanchez, M, Sanchez, Lopes, Tercyak and Turco are all in the loop regarding our needs in this section of New Britain. We have also attached copies of the New Britain Public Works Design Schedule and Cardinal Engineering’s Estimate for Construction Costs. This project should be shovel ready by April 2025.

We must close on this $9.7M Bonding Initiative ASAP so that we will not miss this shovel ready start date of April 2025. Therefore, all of us must work with the required sense of urgency to move this funding effort to completion by April 2025 or sooner. We have listed our 21 REASONS why we qualify for this emergency $9.7M State Bonding Initiative for the Allen St. Project. We want to prevent any unforeseen flooding catastrophes similar to the tragedies in Oxford, CT and surrounding towns.

***Allen St. Drainage Improvements and Reconstruction Phase 2 Project***

Here is why we qualify for this emergency $9.7M state bonding initiative:

1) The City of New Britain has committed $4.2M for the $13.9M Allen St. Project.

2) The Allen St. Project is critical to resolving chronic issues including flooding due to storm-sewer failures, sanitary back-ups and breaks due to insufficient capacity and the system’s age.

3) Allen St. and the surrounding neighborhoods are not in flood zones.

4) Storm-sanitary cross connections exist on Allen St. further contributing to this public health emergency.

5) Our quality of life is suffering and our property values have declined by 15%.

6) The unhealthy contaminants in the flooding water includes; bacteria, fecal matter, fats, motor oil, grease, etc.

7) Flooding anxiety and distress are real health issues.

8) Our taxes increase while our neighborhoods continue to flood. 10 floods since July 4, 2023.

9) We demand our fair share of money from state bonding initiatives to fund our most pressing need; The Allen St. Phase 2 Project.

10) The compromised Allen St. System creates an open air cesspool on Allen St. and in surrounding neighborhoods.

11) Our properties are the catch basin-toilet bowl, where contaminated flood water gathers, waiting for rain events to end before receding.

12) Intense rainfall overwhelms the compromised Allen St. System flooding our neighborhoods and retention pond.

13) The elevated terrain in our area surges the uncontrolled flood water through our properties.

14) Water tables rise and flood water infiltrates and saturates our land. The resulting increased underground water pressure threatens our foundations and slabs.

15) Factor in the related hidden underground soil erosion, settling, shifting and potential sink holes, our foundations and structures are all at further risk.

16) Sink holes cause damage with an estimated cost on average of $300M per year in the USA.

17) Our neighborhoods (50+ properties) resemble that of a third world country during these flooding events.

18) The cause is undeniable…The effects will be catastrophic if the flooding is allowed to continue.

19) The compromised Allen St. System and the required upgrades are beyond our control.

20) The resulting flooding and the related damage is beyond our control.

21) Weston-Sampson Engineers wrote that the Allen St. Project must be a high priority because the infrastructure is at crisis levels.

City officials have known about the compromised Allen St. Storm-Sewer System for 30 years. As responsible property owners and tax payers, we have spent thousands of dollars installing drainage and mitigation systems. After 10 flooding events within 14 months, our properties and structures will not withstand this sort of abuse.
Now is the time to approve this bonding initiative for the benefit of our taxpayers and residents.

As we have noted for you, the cause is undeniable…The effects will be catastrophic if the flooding is allowed to continue. The compromised Allen St. Storm-Sewer System and the required upgrades are beyond our control. The resulting flooding and the related damage is beyond our control. As Weston-Sampson Engineers wrote:
“The Allen St. Project must be a high priority because the infrastructure is at crisis levels.”

We need you to acknowledge our concerns and to help formulate an emergency bonding initiative for the Allen St. Phase 2 Project so that we will not miss the April 2025 Construction Start Date. We are sure that all of the noted legislators will cooperate with this bipartisan effort.

Sincerely,

Frank and Sharon Chase
24 Roxbury Road
New Britain, CT 06053
[email protected]
860-989-7205

Attachments:

Allen St. Commitment