Milford Receives $825,000 in Planning Grants

Milford – Mayor Blake announced in a press release that the City of Milford will receive $825,000 in grant funds from the Department of Housing’s Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program for storm resiliency and restoration projects.

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“Milford’s shoreline is one of our most important resources but is also one of our greatest vulnerabilities. These grant funds will harden our coastline and assist with our resiliency efforts. Milford is grateful to the Governor and the Department of Housing for this important investment into the future of our community,” said Mayor Blake.

The funds will be allocated toward three projects:

1. Shoreline Stabilization at Walnut/ Wildemere Beaches

The proposed project is a three-part project that will include a survey and analysis of Walnut and Wildemere Beaches, a planning stage, and a final design stage. The three phases will help to determine the extent to which hard (i.e., breakwaters) and green (i.e., restoration through sand dunes) infrastructure are needed to stabilize the shoreline.

In the first phase, we will conduct a study to assess the extent to which sand replenishment would stabilize the shoreline.

In the second phase, we will assess the results of the study and develop a plan of action for stabilizing the shoreline.

In the third stage, we will design a project that will increase the resiliency of Walnut and Wildemere Beaches to protect the sand from future erosion associated with surges during intense storms.

2. Shoreline Hardening at Crescent Beach in Woodmont

The proposed project is a three-part project that will include a survey and analysis of Crescent Beach and the surrounding area, a planning stage, and a final design stage.

The three phases will help to determine the extent to which hard (i.e., breakwaters and sea walls) and green (i.e., restoring wetlands) infrastructure are needed to harden the shoreline. In the first phase, we will conduct a wave study to assess the impact of tidal energy on the shoreline.

In the second phase, we will assess the results of the study and develop a plan of action for stabilizing the shoreline.

In the third stage, we will design a project that will increase the resiliency of Crescent Beach and the surrounding area to protect the community from sustained damage associated with surges during intense storms.

3. Erosion Control and Infrastructure Replacement along Gulf Street/Welchs Point Road

The area in which the end of Gulf Street meets Welch’s Point Road is located in a residential community with approximately 2,000 people in the immediate area. Gulf Beach is a public beach and provides a recreational outlet for residents of the community. Sediment and soil erosion along the beach is also eroding the road in the area, creating unsafe road conditions that are exacerbated during storm events.

This is a concern since the road is an escape route during extreme weather events that becomes largely impassable and dangerous when it floods. The proposed project is a three-part project that will include a survey and analysis of the Gulf Beach shoreline, a planning stage, and a final design stage.

The three phases will help to determine the extent to which green infrastructure (i.e., restoration through sand replenishment and dunes) are needed to stabilize the shoreline and thereby harden the road against extreme storms.

In the first phase, we will conduct a study to assess the extent to which sand replenishment /dunes would stabilize the shoreline.

In the second phase, we will assess the results of the study and develop a plan of action for using green infrastructure to make the shoreline more resilient and harden the edge of the road.

In the third stage, we will design a project that will use green infrastructure to increase the resiliency of Gulf Beach and protect the sand from future erosion associated with surges from intense storms. We will also develop designs for hardening the road with a view toward minimizing flooding from future storm events and securing the public road.

Grant totals are:

1. $325,000 – Shoreline Stabilization at Walnut / Wildemere

2. $225,000 – Shoreline Hardening at Crescent Beach in Woodmont

3. $275,000 – Erosion Control and Infrastructure Replacement along Gulf Street/Welchs Point Road