Allen St. Problem-Project #2 Oak St. to Beacon St. 9-11-24: Our 23rd Presentation to New Britain Officials, State Officials and Residents.

To: Ward 4 Constituents, Taxpayers, Property Owners, Flooding Victims, City and State Officials

This updated record is being shared regarding the status of our neighborhoods’ storm-sewer systems and the Federal-State-City responses. Our concerns must be given the highest priority. Our quality of life is suffering and our property values have declined by 15%. When the contaminated flooding water recedes, we are forgotten by our city officials. As a reminder to all, the unhealthy contaminates in the flooding water includes bacteria, fecal matter, fats, motor oil, grease, etc.

After 1 year of pursuing the true circumstances surrounding the flooding in our neighborhoods, we present the following updates:

1) We hope the Overlook-McKinley Drainage Project Phase 2 will be adopted at the City Council Meeting 9-11-24.

2) We have received no updates from Director Moriarty regarding the conditions and status of the Hampton-Eton Sub-Basin. We have been waiting for 10 months! Seems like the same old playbook… Delay, Delay, Delay.

As the former Director of Public Works, Joe Carilli PE, noted 30 years ago; the compromised Allen St. Basin Storm-Sewer System and the compromised Hampton-Eton Sub-Basin Storm-Sewer System require upgrades per city engineers. We are making progress with the Allen St. Problem. There has been NO ACTION regarding the Hampton-Eton Problem. (???)
Recently, High St. had a CCTV inspection. In fact, the council will be voting to use Clean Water Fund money for this $64K Repair Project. After 30 years of neglect and mismanagement, the Hampton-Eton Sub-Basin Storm-Sewer System and the surrounding neighborhoods have earned this same level of attention. A suitable CCTV inspection and/or flow monitoring can be used to identify in-flow, infiltration and deterioration in the Hampton-Eton Sub-Basin.
As responsible property owners, we cannot prudently proceed with our property engineering, repair, replace, mitigation plans until we know the true status of City operated storm-sewer systems in our neighborhoods. Our contractors are unwilling to estimate our work and unwilling to warranty their work because of the ongoing flooding. We can not pump all of this flooding water away from our properties during these intense rainfall events because the City systems are overwhelmed. The City’s underground, compromised infrastructure systems are outdated and undersized.
As Director Moriarty noted, he is not sure if the Allen St. Project #2 completion will correct all of the flooding issues in the effected neighborhoods. We are logically asking for Moriarty’s prudent follow-up regarding the condition of the “Hampton-Eton Sub-Basin Storm-Sewer System” as he promised back in December of 2023. To date, Moriarty has been silent! THIS IS WHY PETITIONS ARE SUBMITTED FOR THIS DELAYED VITAL INFORMATION!

3) We have now learned that Cardinal Engineering has requested an additional $80K for their engineering services. Why is this additional engineering work required? (See attachments.)

Allen St. Commitment

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Cardinal Construction Costs

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4) Allen St. Project #2 Milestones Per the DPW Design Schedule: (See attachment.)

Allen St. Design Schedule

Waiting for confirmation regarding the submittal of the updated Allen St. Project #2 Engineering-Construction Plan to the DOT and to the City for review. Complete by mid-August 2024. Is this complete?
Incorporate DOT comments: Complete by mid-September 2024. Is this complete?
Prepare specifications and bid documents: Complete by October 1st 2024.
Review by City: Complete by mid-October 2024.
Bidding: Complete by mid-November 2024.
Award by mid-December 2024.
Shovel Ready: Start construction by April 2025.

5) As you all know, we are pressing the governor and our interested state legislators for a $9.7M state bonding initiative so we can keep the Allen St. Project on schedule. (See the attached.)

So we are clear, the Allen St. Problem was neglected and mismanaged for 30 years, including 10 years on the current mayor’s watch. We do not want the Allen St. Project #2 to be lost in the bureaucratic fiscal shuffle again! There will be 2-3 or more years of tropical rainy/flooding seasons as we wait for funding, planning and construction. More uncontrolled flooding will continue to take its toll on our properties and structures. We will be monitoring this process closely.
Reminder… back in 2013, the current mayor was elected and had a $6.7M Cardinal Engineering Plan ready to go for Allen St. Nothing happened! Now we have an updated $13.9M Cardinal Engineering Plan waiting for execution. This must NOT be another missed opportunity.

6) More facts:

Now we are told that the current mayor indicates the typography in our neighborhood and the retention pond will continue to contribute to our flooding problem. The elevated terrain in our neighborhood will surge any lingering surface water and the retention pond will continue to flood because of the compromised storm-sewer systems. When the compromised underground infrastructure is designed, upgraded and installed properly to better manage the water from heavy rainfall events, we may finally have some peace of mind!
We have a long way to go to protect and preserve our properties and structures. Where is the promised transparency from our city council members, from our mayor and from our city directors regarding our ongoing flooding concerns? All of these flooding concerns and related damage are beyond our control.
Regardless of the age of our structures, needless wear and tear (in and around our structures) is accelerated by this out of control flooding water. Accelerated foundational and structural flooding deterioration is happening because of our compromised, outdated and undersized storm-sewer systems.
This flooding is not an act of god! Our city officials are responsible for this neglect, mismanagement and damage to our properties and structures. In legal terms it’s called “DERELICTION OF DUTY ” and “NONFEASANCE.” We will be submitting our claims to the City as we move forward through this time consuming, detailed process.

10 floods over the past 14 months: