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Branford Neighborhood Experiencing Flooding During DOT Bridge Work

Residents around Waverly Park Road in Branford's Indian Neck area have been enduring some exceptional flooding in yards and roadways during exceedingly high tides as of late; with the flooding apparently being exacerbated by an upstream state construction project to replace the Sybil Creek Bridge on Route 146.

The bridge replacement work, which got underway  in early September, includes the replacement of a tide gate beneath the bridge.

Area resident Laura Noe sent photos to Zip06/The Sound taken Sunday, Oct. 16, from a town bridge over Sybil Creek on Waverly Park Road. The photos show the most flooding the area has experienced to date, said Noe, with flooded streets at Crouch Road at Waverly Park Road; and water also flooding yards of some homes beside the creek. Noe said the flooding has getting "progressively worse" over the past four weeks. She and other residents of the area are also concerned about potential damage to their vehicles caused by having to drive through the brackish water to get out of their neighborhood.

Zip06/The Sound first contacted Branford Town Engineer John Hoefferle, who responded promptly via email. Noe said she had also received a prompt response from Hoefferele to her request for assistance with the issue.  In his response to Zip06/The Sound, Hoefferle said that the flooding appears to be the result of the current CT Department of Transportation (DOT) project work underway on the Sybil Creek Bridge, coupled with extremely high tides; and that the water flooding the town roads and residents' yards has a "direct correlation with the water levels in the creek upstream of the DOT project."

Additionally, Hoefferle noted, "...my office, the First Selectman, our state representatives and others have been in regular contact with the DOT regarding the flooding, pressing for a solution so the residents can dry out."

Zip06/The Sound also emailed a request to CT DOT; following up with a phone call during which a media contact discussed relaying the request for any project updates or information leading to a possible remedy for residents.  Further information, when supplied from CT DOT, will be shared as an update to this story when received.