A flood prone stretch of road by Stratford’s Sikorsky Memorial Airport will soon get raised, as rising sea levels threaten the area.
Connecticut Department of Transportation Chief Engineer Scott Hill said climate change remains a concern.
“We’re seeing climate change and water rising, and we will be looking at this to see whether or not we need to put some sort of sea wall in at some other time,” Hill said.
Route 113, on Short Beach Road, is located near the Lordship section of town. The road has sunken over the last few years, since it was constructed in 2016.
Town officials say the road connects to the Lordship neighborhood. Mayor Laura Hoydick said while the road does not provide access to the airport, it’s also near the former Stratford Army Engine Plant now slated for remediation and redevelopment.
That section of Route 113 is located on protected marshland. Democratic State Rep. Joe Gresko said those considerations complicate the project.
“There's a lot of competing forces in this between environment, utilities going under this road, water, gas, electric, so it's not as easy as ‘I'll just throw some asphalt down and that'll be a fix,” Gresko said.
Gresko and officials with the state Department of Transportation announced plans Thursday to install a cofferdam system to help prevent flooding. The project is a part of a long-term solution, according to Gresko.
He announced last November , the state would provide funding. According to Hill, the project cost around $1 million.
While the construction will alleviate the flooding, the rising sea levels may make this an ongoing process, according to Hill.
“We're all very cognizant that we have to be aware of these roads that are along the coastline and certain elevations they probably will flood in the future, and so we're working on that right now,” Hill said.
