Resilient Border Street Waterfront Project

Climate Ready Boston studied the East Boston waterfront in two phases. The first phase, Coastal Resilience Solutions for East Boston (2017), included the Border Street waterfront within the plan’s study area. A critical near-term flood pathway originates on the Border Street waterfront. With sea level rise anticipated around 2030, the 1% annual chance flood would flow across waterfront properties and Border Street, and spread throughout low-lying areas of the East Boston community. Almost the entire Border Street waterfront could be at risk of flooding by mid-century.

This project will involve working with waterfront private property owners and the East Boston community to advance the design of a district-scale coastal resilience strategy across the project focus area to prevent near- and long-term flooding from entering the neighborhood. The proposed project area will extend from 40 New Street/60 Border Street to the Mario Umana School, involving private properties between the waterfront and Border Street where the potential flood risk is the most extensive and urgent. Additionally, the project will seek to improve stormwater management, reduce the urban heat island effect, and enhance connectivity along and access to the East Boston waterfront.