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Since 2007, Bronxville has endured nearly $30 million in damages from major storms that have struck the East Coast. So a $7 million joint school and village flood mitigation project was proposed.
With voters overwhelming approval (868 to 55) of sharing the estimated $850,000 project cost, village officials are set to hit the ground running in an effort to alleviate flooding that takes place in the Midland Valley Drainage Basin during extreme weather.
According to Paul Pelusio, the engineer who designed the project, the plan includes installing a large network of pipes under Hayes Field. These would retain floodwater and prevent it from backing up into the school, as it did in 2007 with disastrous results. The proposal also includes a dedicated pipe installed behind Village Hall to deliver stormwater back into the Bronx River.
A stormwater pumping station on the Midland Avenue side of the school also will be used during and after flooding. Due to construction, Hayes Field will be inaccessible during the spring sports season. The five diesel-powered pumping units will have a capacity of 100,000 gallons per minute.
According to Bronxville Mayor Mary Marvin, officials are conducting an archeological assessment of the discharge point into the Bronx River. It is expected the project will be put to bid next month with construction beginning as soon as April. The entire project is expected to be completed before the end of the year.
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