South Windsor Council Approves Potential Fix for Ridge Road Flooding Issue

The Town Council approved a resolution on Monday authorizing a $120,000 construction project on Ridge Road to alleviate a long-standing problem with water drainage.

Maybe.

The original resolution called for spending $120,000 in state LoCIP (local capital improvement program) funds to correct the issue - water accumulates on the road after heavy storms - that has existed for decades.

But, in a 6-3 vote, the resolution was amended approving the appropriation “subject to Engineering studies demonstrating that such an appropriation will solve the drainage problem.”

Town Councilors Keith Yagaloff, Jan Snyder and Kevin McCann all raised their concerns that the funds would not completely resolve the issue.

“I’m worried about the continued flow [of water] from east to west,” Yagaloff said. Is this public hearing premature? If this is a Band-Aid, people won’t be happy. If I were spending this on my business out of pocket, I’d want to know [$120,000 is going to fix the whole problem].”

McCann said that he had taken three trips to Ridge Road and saw that there is “a very real problem.”

But, McCann wondered whether it would be better telling Town Manager Matthew Galligan to do a further assessment and come back within a reasonable period of time with a specific solution.

“I don’t want to ignore the problem, I want to fix the problem,” said McCann, adding that he did not want to “throw money” at the issue and “say we are done with it without real solution.”

Snyder, who has spearheaded an effort to include more funds in the town’s capital improvement program, questioned how the Ridge Road issue rose to the top of the chain, where there are larger projects that needed to be done in town.

Snyder said she was not minimizing the issue at Ridge Road, as there clearly is a need for the project to be done.

Town Engineer Jeff Doolittle said that the project came to his attention through complaints made to the Town Council by Ridge Road neighbors.

In addition, Doolittle said that the drainage installation “would help alleviate some of the flooding off the road.”

When questioned, Doolittle said it would cost in the neighborhood of $25,000 to $30,000 to do the engineering work to determine what needed to be done.

But, Doolittle added, that engineering work would be done whether the approved amount was $30,000 or $120,000. Doolittle added that changing the resolution could affect whether the town receives the state LoCIP funds.

Town Councilors Cary Prague and Dr. Saud Anwar, for their parts, both said they supported the original motion.

“I have complete faith you will solve the problem,” Prague said.

Anwar said the current situation is a public health issue, as standing water can bring about mosquito-borne illnesses.

Still, the resolution passed as amended, something that did not sit well with one neighbor.