Allen St. Storm-Sewer-Sanitary Problem-Project. Presentation #33

All of our recent flooding updates and narratives with photos, video interviews, documents, etc. are published on-line in the New Britain Progressive’s “Flooding Series”. View and listen to our City Council presentations on the City Web-Site; Go to newbritainct.gov. Click on government, common council, videos.

To: Our Neighborhood Flooding Victims, Concerned Citizens/Taxpayers, City and State Officials:

2013-2025: Mayor Stewart described the Allen St. Project this way; “The Allen St. Project is our most pressing need. 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.”

Mayor Stewart also identified storm-sanitary cross connections on Allen St. further contributing to this public health crisis. The contaminants in the flooding water include a toxic mix of bacteria, fecal matter, fats, motor oil, grease, etc.

Mayor Stewart’s Talking Points Debunked:

1) When Mayor Stewart took office in 2013, she chose to ignore Mayor O’Brien’s 2013 $7M Cardinal Engineering Plan which she inherited for the Allen St. Project. The 2025 Cardinal Engineering Plan will total $14M+.

2) Director of Public Works Moriarty noted March 31st, “We just got back comments from CTDOT. We’re wrapping up final changes. We will be bid ready within the next few weeks, and waiting on funding which hopefully comes soon.”

3) The Allen St. Project is unique in many ways… The depth, the high ledge, no phasing-in, etc. Cardinal Engineers have noted these specific characteristics… They are unique but doable. Cardinal Engineers have completed projects similar to Allen St., for example in New Haven, CT.

** Weston-Sampson Engineers noted in August of 2023, “The Allen St. Project must be a high priority because the infrastructure is at crisis levels.”

4) Over the past 12 years, Mayor Stewart and her associates have found ways to fund many high profile projects including the Bee Hive Bridge, Public Works Operations Center, Stanley Events Pavilion, Downtown Luxury Housing, Osgood Park and many others.

Recently, $158M in bonding was approved for various school projects… $41M for the New Britain White Bridge Waterworks and nearly $3M for various park projects. This leaves $3.5M that we know of in bonding money available for the Allen St. Project. We are hoping additional city and/or state dollars will be allocated to complete the funding for the Allen St. Project. We shall see how this develops.

5) Mayor Stewart and her associates insist that the state must bond the approximate $10M funding gap for the Allen St. Project. Stewart noted that the city could never fund the costly Allen St. Project. As noted above, Stewart’s robust funding track record speaks for itself.

Mayor Stewart is falsely blaming our state legislators for their lack of action. Meanwhile, over many years, our State and Federal partners have funneled hundreds of millions of “Earmark Free Dollars” to New Britain which Stewart has spent her way, ignoring the Allen St. Project.

We have easily debunked all of Mayor Stewart’s talking points regarding the Allen St. Project: From the ignored O’Brien plan in 2013 to the project complexities… From funding and planning myths to the infamous $4M phony transfer before an election, etc. All of her excuses are simply spin that some may accept, however, the vast majority of us will see through these deflections.

Over the last 12 years, Mayor Stewart chose to ignore the Allen St. Project. After the flooding water recedes, and during dry spells, the Allen St. Problem is conveniently forgotten by our City Officials. Meanwhile, the flooding and sanitary back-ups will continue penalizing all of the residents in the Ward 4 Allen St. Basin.

There have been 13 flooding events since 2018, the year we started tracking the flooding, all on Mayor Stewart’s watch effecting 50+ properties. The cause and effect has been clearly identified.

It’s time to Prioritize, Fund and Construct the Allen St. Project!

Thank you.

F&S Chase