Tom Ryan

Greater Boston has been fortunate when it comes to coastal flooding and major storms. We have seen recent challenges during king tides and increased rainfall, but nothing like Superstorm Sandy’s impact on New York City in October 2012.

Still, the risks associated with rising sea levels, storm surges and increased precipitation are increasing each year.

We are extremely lucky to have a major opportunity for Boston to partner with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) on a coastline study that is estimated to provide a 4:1 benefit-cost ratio. We should embrace this vision.

Not A Matter of ‘If’

Boston’s 47 miles of coastline need greater protection against coastal flood risk, to protect multiple neighborhoods, critical infrastructure and businesses districts. The main challenge is different parts of this coastline are owned by the city, state, federal government and private property owners.

It is also very expensive and would involve many environmental permitting rules. For the past four years, the city of Boston and the USACE evaluated these difficult questions, culminating in the Corps’ draft Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study, released this summer. This work makes a very compelling case for action, simply to protect the economy of Greater Boston.

The study determined that by 2090, storms, flooding and “high-impact consequences” could flood over 20,000 structures in Boston result in $54 billion of damages. The USACE states clearly that “if nothing is done, the risk of storm damage in this area will continue to increase over the next 100 years. It is not a matter of whether these changes will happen, but when.”

The plan proposes more than 20 projects using floodwalls, levees, floodgates and other infrastructure to protect Boston’s coastline, with an estimated cost of approximately $10 billion.

While this is a huge number, if this work is done through the USACE, the federal government may cover up to 65 percent of the cost. It is an incredible opportunity for this region that we cannot afford to lose. Mayor Michele Wu and her team deserve tremendous credit for pursuing this study that lays out a path forward.

Let’s Do This the Right Way

If we can appreciate this opportunity – for a problem that must be addressed – we must focus on the areas in the current draft that need improvement over the next two years.

The city of Boston is pushing for greater protections for downtown, and parts of the North End, the Seaport and East Boston. These alternatives would mean supporting longer, continuous flood barriers along the waterfront, and certainly higher costs, but the goal is to get this done right in a way that is still eligible for the 65 percent federal reimbursement.

In the North End, for example, under the current draft a shorter barrier would end in the middle of this neighborhood, potentially leaving the Sumner and Callahan tunnels, as well as parts of the Blue Line, at risk of storm surge and flooding.

In East Boston along the Blue Line corridor, there are real concerns about the Chelsea Creek area and the roadways around Route 1A. If these connections and routes are flooded, it would negatively impact operations at Logan Airport.

Finally, in the Seaport district, there should be more protection for the Ray Flynn Marine Industrial Park and the seafood processing businesses along Boston Harbor. All of these areas are essential to our regional and national economic activity and deserve to be fully protected.

 Bold Infrastructure Worth the Costs

Ideally these specific areas can be included and there will be confidence that coastal infrastructure inside Boston will not raise flooding risks to neighboring areas in Chelsea, Revere, Cambridge or any other neighboring communities

Sea level rise, storm surge and stormwater do not follow city lines, so a proper coastal resilience project must be coordinated regionally. This USACE plan may be sponsored by the City of Boston, but it can’t only be about protecting Boston.

Whether Greater Boston is asked to support $3.5 billion in matching funds or if our share grows higher, we should not be intimidated. Greater Boston has successfully undertaken complicated infrastructure projects in the past and we can do so again.

The Central Artery/Tunnel project, cleanup of Boston Harbor and the redevelopment of the Seaport all required years of construction, billions of dollars and leaders willing to think big. None of these projects were perfect, but it is almost impossible to imagine the Greater Boston economy and our global appeal if we didn’t deliver on these infrastructure projects.

This ambitious USACE coastal resilience vision should become this region’s next great infrastructure project that protects our economy and leads to future prosperity for the region in the decades to come.

Tom Ryan is senior advisor on policy, government and community affairs at A Better City, a business-backed organization focused on transportation, land use and environmental policies.