Peabody to hold flood mitigation meeting

PEABODY – City officials will be holding a public forum next week to update residents on the city’s ongoing flood mitigation project.On Monday, April 13 at 7 p.m. in the Torigian Community Life Center, Mayor Michael Bonfanti will inform guests of the progress made in terms of cleaning out canals and culverts, as well as go over the final design and permitting process.”We are marking progress and welcome any input from the public on this initiative,” said Bonfanti in a released statement. “My administration has made infrastructure needs a priority, however, given the heavy price tag associated with the millions of dollars required to solve a problem, we can’t do this alone.”Bonfanti went on to say that “we need the help and cooperation of the public and continued outside financial assistance from the state and federal government.”The city has been battling mother nature for years, but really intensified their efforts after the Mother’s Day flood of 2006. The downtown area was under water for a miserably long, devastating five days.The costly mitigation project entails installing twin underground culverts under Foster Street and through Peabody Square, in addition to widening the North River both in Peabody and Salem. Approximately 1,600 feet of the river will be widened from 18-20 feet in some areas to 38 feet. The project would also include removing 90-degree bends in the river, replacing the Caller Street Bridge and removing contaminated wastes.The largest and most complex portion, widening the river wall, will be handled entirely by the Army Corps of Engineers.According to the press release, the above actions, upon completion, will mitigate flooding in downtown Peabody, relieving public safety hazards, infrastructure deficiencies and the economic crisis flooding poses to Peabody Square.City officials will be present to answer any questions and address any concerns attendees may have. They will also announce additional projects scheduled to begin later this spring and also in the coming summer months.