The city of Fayetteville has been selected as a finalist for a $15.4 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for a flood mitigation project downtown that would improve bridges on Person and Russell streets and make stream enhancements for part of the Blounts Creek watershed.
The Blounts Creek Watershed is the largest within city limits, containing much of downtown and several surrounding areas, according to the town’s Public Services Department. It is also the most subject to flooding, with 136 different “concern areas.” Mitigating these concerns will cost the city $307 million, so the grant — which is expected to be awarded — will provide much-needed funding for the city’s most flood-prone area.
The award, which the city will match with a $6.2 million investment, is part of FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program. When finalized as expected, it will be the largest FEMA award in the state for the 2022 BRIC funding cycle.
Councilmember Deno Hondros said the city has developed “cutting-edge” solutions to flooding problems and stormwater runoff issues. At the Sept. 5 city council work session, he congratulated the Public Services Department for securing the grant, which was announced at the meeting. .
“You all have positioned us to be ahead of our peers in the state when it comes to these grants,” Hondros said of city staff that worked to secure the funding.
Mayor Pro Tem Johnny Dawkins said the award comes after five years of hard work.
“In 2018, the mayor created a stormwater council committee, and those of us on it, me being the chairman, were not very patient,” Dawkins said. “We didn’t understand how long these situations take. Well, that was five years ago. Because of your efforts, we’re starting to see some things pay off.”
According to presentations from city staff last week, the Blounts Creek mitigation project will replace three bridges, add stream enhancement and restore 4,000 feet of the creek to provide 100-year flood protection for 270 structures, as well as address roadway flooding.
Sheila Thomas-Ambat, Fayetteville’s public services director, said the council’s support and interest in stormwater and flood mitigation has allowed the city to develop long-term plans that can attract impressive grants.
“City council’s vision and forward thinking has provided the roadmap for staff to proactively seek out external funding opportunities to meet the city’s goal of being a more resilient community,” Thomas-Ambat said. “I could not be more excited and proud of our team. And I want all of us to celebrate this great news.”
The grant announcement comes alongside other flooding prevention and watershed studies the city has been undertaking since the council established its stormwater committee in 2018 to improve long-term flooding resilience. These include several watershed studies that look at the highest concern areas for flooding and identify possible solutions.
At its Sept. 5 meeting, the council approved a motion for staff to seek out funding sources for 100 potential solutions for flooding problems in the downtown and surrounding neighborhoods.
Councilmember Kathy Jensen said the council is striving to prepare for future storms like Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Florence by proactively working to improve infrastructure.
“We are working on a 50-year vision, so that people who are sitting here 50 years from now are not going to have the same issues that we have, and that we are thinking ahead,” Jensen said.
Contact Evey Weisblat at eweisblat@cityviewnc.com.
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