New Britain officials have announced a long-awaited plan and funding package to fix chronic flooding around Allen Street, where an aging stormwater system has struggled for years to handle heavy rain. The State Bond Commission has approved grants totaling $6.9 million for infrastructure upgrades in the area, including a new stormwater system, replacement of sewer and water lines, and repairs to impacted roads. Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2027.
The announcement, reported by WFSB, caps years of advocacy from residents whose basements have flooded repeatedly during heavy storms. Governor Ned Lamont, who chairs the State Bond Commission, said the state aid will fund necessary upgrades, prevent future flooding, and provide relief to neighborhood residents, while also praising area residents for their advocacy and saying officials were taking action, according to the station's report. New Britain Mayor Bobby Sanchez said residents had waited for years while basements flooded and streets washed out, and that the combination of state funding, city investment, and direct homeowner relief fulfilled a promise made to the community.
A Neighborhood Long Vulnerable to Flooding
The vulnerability isn't new. The existing 24-inch storm drainage pipe has struggled to handle severe weather, the outlet reports. Engineers now plan to replace those pipes with 48-inch to 66-inch lines, alongside enlarged 24-inch sanitary sewer mains.
Public pressure around the issue intensified after a dramatic jump in flooding beginning in summer 2023. New Britain Progressive reported that stormwater and sewage overflows have entered homes. Stormwater management and chronic neighborhood flooding went on to become a central campaign issue during New Britain's 2025 municipal election, which led to the election of Mayor Sanchez, according to reporting from New Britain Progressive.
Piecing Together a $13.9 Million Budget
An engineering evaluation by Cardinal Engineering estimated the total cost of the Allen Street drainage and infrastructure project at roughly $13.9 million, covering 3,500 linear feet of roadway and utility reconstruction between Oak Street and Beacon Street, New Britain Progressive notes. The project previously received a $2 million CT Urban Action Grant in 2025, according to New Britain Progressive. The State Bond Commission has now approved $6.9 million in grants, WFSB reported.
New Britain has pursued flood fixes through other channels too. The city previously completed a separate $2 million flood mitigation project in the nearby Overlook Avenue and McKinley Drive neighborhood using federal American Rescue Plan Act funds, per New Britain Progressive's reporting.
Two Construction Seasons and a State Review Still Ahead
Once crews break ground, the work itself will take time. New Britain Public Works Director Mark Moriarty estimated that physical construction for the storm and sanitary sewer lines will require about two full construction seasons, spanning 18 to 24 months to complete, according to the CT Examiner. Part of Allen Street is a state road, and state agreements for the project must be approved, according to New Britain Progressive.
A New Fund for Homeowners, Modeled on Hartford
Alongside the infrastructure grant, officials announced the launch of the New Britain Homeowners Flood Compensation Program, which will provide financial assistance to area homeowners needing flood-related home repairs. The $250,000 program is supported by state funding approved by Governor Lamont and the Connecticut General Assembly this year. Eligible residents will be contacted in the coming weeks with program, application, and damage-assessment scheduling information, per WFSB.
Connecticut Comptroller Sean Scanlon indicated the program was modeled after the Hartford Flood Compensation Program, which has distributed over $12 million to flood-impacted property owners in Hartford, according to the Office of the State Comptroller. Former state representative Peter Tercyak, who represented New Britain before retiring, volunteered to oversee the New Britain program as administrator. “I spent years representing these neighborhoods, and I know how hard these floods have been on the families who live there,” Tercyak said, adding that he agreed to help launch the program after Mayor Sanchez asked him. He said his role is to ensure a fair, fast process and direct help to homeowners most in need.
