Green Infrastructure Pilot Projects

The City of Lynn received a Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Action Grant to design and implement high-priority green infrastructure (GI) pilot projects.

Identified in the Strawberry Brook Resilient Stormwater Management and Implementation Plan, which was funded by an MVP Action Grant the previous year, these pilot projects are designed to significantly reduce flood risk, improve public health and safety, and offer examples of climate resilient adaptations that can be applied across this Gateway City. The city selected the Boston Street and the Barry Park/G.E.A.A. Fields areas because of the flood reduction that could be achieved there through GI techniques. Residents provided their thoughts/ideas through a comprehensive two-way public engagement campaign that included a listening session, survey with video, and a fact sheet.

For Boston Street, we designed six small-scale GI pilot projects to achieve the MVP grant’s climate resilience goals. Our team performed site surveys, groundwater investigations, and a geotechnical exploration to inform the design process and project feasibility. We used a hydrologic and hydraulic model previously developed for the Strawberry Brook analysis to design for existing and future climate conditions. This work resulted in the installation of three FocalPoint Bioretention raingardens.

For Barry Park and G.E.A.A. Fields, we developed a conceptual stormwater vision that combines improvements to circulation, access, canopy, and recreation with stormwater management. We prioritized rainwater collection, reuse, and surface level solutions that decrease localized flooding while improving water quality. Our work included improvements to the parking lot and nearby intersection to capture, store, and treat stormwater with bioswales, bioretention, and permeable pavement. Excess runoff is conveyed from neighboring streets into underground storage systems to slow stormwater down, allowing for infiltration or flow back into Strawberry Brook. We are currently collaborating the city and stakeholders to design a floodable field and further reduce the urban heat island (UHI) effect with vegetation and shade structures.