Morrissey Boulevard Flooding

The Savin Hill cove, while being an important ecosystem and habitat for many forms of local wildlife, is also intertwined with the daily lives of Boston residents. The cove is located in very close proximity to Morrissey Boulevard, in fact it runs underneath it at some points. Having a major road this close to a body of water can be problematic, especially when that body of water is in fact a struggling wetland prone to flooding. To help tackle this serious problem of Morrissey Boulevard flooding, Scott Murphy and Brendan McEntee researched the problem and explored some options that could help alleviate the problem.

One method already employed is the use of flood ditches along the sides of the road. This method, however, is not a suitable solution to the problem on Morrissey Boulevard due to the extensiveness of the flooding that exists here. Flood ditches are only effective against minor flooding that won’t overflow from the ditches themselves, and next to the cove, this is not the case. Additional options that Scott and Brendan explored include a recurved flood wall built with environmentally friendly green concrete, and elevated roadways that simply elevate the road out of harms way. While both options are viable solutions to the problem, they are neither cheap nor simple, and would require rather extensive construction projects. Scott and Brendan’s project has highlighted some very interesting mitigation possibilities, and open the door for further discussion on a very real problem for many Boston commuters.