With rising water levels, cities are developing innovative approaches for urban planning to protect neighborhoods who are most vulnerable to flooding. To tackle one of the largest outcomes of climate change, rising sea levels, architects, urban planners and engineers around the world are designing solutions. Boston is the latest US city to take action. The low-lying pathways along the edge of Boston harbor increases their risk for frequent coastal flooding.
The Coastal Resilience Solutions For East Boston and Charleston urban development plan is hoped to be the solution. The Boston city Mayor Martin J Walsh states, “In Boston, we are seeing more frequent flooding on our waterfront, especially in East Boston and Charlestown.” “Climate change is here, it’s happening now. This year, we saw its effect in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, and across our country and world.”
Boston plans to elevate their parks and walkways to create a barricade which could provide protection to 330 residents. A deployable flood wall was also proposed in the plan which could protect around 4,300 residents and over 70 businesses.
Projects should evaluate their flood potential not just to FEMA/State or Local regulations, it should be evaluated with our changing environment in mind. Mitigation of these risks is possible and a part of what we look at when developing near flood prone areas.
Read more about the Boston project
Strategies to protect the vulnerable neighbourhood include barricading its waterfront with elevated pathways and parks. (Photo courtesy of Dezeen.com)
