VHB is excited to partner with the Cities of Boston and Revere to lead the design for the Resilient Bennington Street and Fredericks Park project. This initiative is part of a continuous effort between the Cities of Boston and Revere to develop regional resiliency solutions that offer flood protection from future flood events, enhance recreational opportunities within a redesigned Fredericks Park, provide an improved multi-modal transportation corridor along Bennington Street, and increase the ecological benefits of the abutting Belle Isle Marsh.
Since the beginning of 2023, the Cities of Boston and Revere have collaborated to advance the design of coastal resilience infrastructure that spreads across both municipalities along Bennington Street in East Boston, Fredericks Park in Revere, and the adjacent areas near the Belle Isle Marsh. This project is a crucial part of both communities’ ongoing work to enhance the cities’ resilience and preparedness for climate impacts.
The project will involve raising Bennington Street by as much as six feet in elevation and creating a living levee and enhanced recreational space within Fredericks Park to protect low-lying neighborhoods in Boston and Revere from coastal flooding. After working with the communities to complete the Phase I feasibility study of the project earlier this year, VHB will lead Phases II and Phase III for Bennington Street.
The Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Grant is funding Phase II of the project, which will advance the design of recommended coastal resiliency strategies, improved roadway corridor, and enhanced recreational space of Frederick’s Park to 50 percent schematic design in both communities. Phase III will complete final design and permitting of the Bennington Street transportation corridor. VHB will provide a range of services to complete the final two phases of this project, including site survey, wetland delineation, design of nature-based solutions, environmental permitting, climate resilience design, landscape architecture, water resources, geotechnical analysis, and roadway design.
A robust team of subcontractors including Terraink, Lahlaf Geotechnical Consulting (LGCI), and Brennan Consultants is supporting our team with this effort.
Read about VHB's resiliency-focused work.
