In Annapolis, the historic City Dock area, often plagued by flooding, is finally seeing the commencement of a major flood-protection effort, as city officials broke ground on a resiliency and revitalization project yesterday. According to CBS News, the undertaking, involving the elevation of the waterfront and the construction of flood barriers, aims to transform the location into a fortified yet vibrant public space, adding a Maritime Welcome Center in the process.
With the election for Annapolis mayor underway, this initiative has grown into a central debate topic; the project's funding, specifically the awaited $30 million grant from FEMA, remains a point of contention between candidates, with Republican Bob O'Shea pushing for a reevaluation and a potential pause, while Democrat Jared Littmann advocates for prioritizing the resilience aspects even if the grant falls through, as both outlined their positions with CBS News. Littmann underscored the urgency, saying, "I'm certainly focused on completing the resilience aspect of this project as quickly as possible so that we don't lose our city to the sea," as the community faced one of its worst non-storm floods in recent memory on October 30.
According to WBAL, the project's budget amounts to a substantial $100 million, which includes a contribution of $11.3 million from federal sources, marking it as the largest capital improvement in Annapolis's history, according to Mayor Gavin Buckley. The renovation process will elevate City Dock by six feet and feature a new park while replacing parking spaces with a garage, aiming for completion by 2028.
