Boston neighborhoods prone to flooding protect themselves ahead of Hurricane Lee
EAST BOSTON - Hurricane Lee is heading towards Massachusetts, threatening coastal communities, and even though Boston is no longer in the eye of the storm, the city isn't taking any chances.
"The water was literally up on the sidewalk and about halfway up the street," said East Boston resident Shaun, where this past winter, rainfall and rising tides turned roadways into rivers. "Water ran into the parking garage and created quite a mess."
And just across the water, the Seaport was hit hard too.
Months later, with a hurricane headed our way, apartments are preparing for the worst, sending messages to residents outlining plans to protect buildings. That includes installing flood planks.
"They put them up in the front doorway through this hall pass that runs to the other side of the building and the parking garage. They're aluminum metal planks stacked right up to the ceiling," said Shaun.
But man-made barriers aren't the only thing keeping flood prone areas safe. Over the last several years, the city has taken steps to protect communities along the water, like East Boston, including implementing strategies to prevent coastal flooding.
The East Boston Coastal Resilience Project began in 2017. Since then, the project has increased green space to help flood water soak through soil and has added natural flood barriers and raised harbor walks to prevent flooding in some of Boston's most vulnerable areas.
The project manager wrote to WBZ, in part, "…Climate change presents significant risks to our city, both today and in the coming years. And we know that these risks, while complex, are addressable," said Hannah Wagner.
Though neighbors like Shaun aren't convinced the added protection is necessary, as Hurricane Lee inches closer to the coast.
"My prediction is…I don't have any concerns whatsoever," said Shaun.
