New culvert project will fight flooding

A new flood-control project at Bristol's Tanyard Brook culvert kicked off Monday morning, with the intent of encouraging economic growth and creating jobs besides also controlling potential floodwater.

Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse helped secure the nearly $4 million in funding for the project. Existing stone-lined walls, covered with concrete planks in the 1960s, will now be replaced with a new concrete box culvert that runs under businesses at the lower end of the harbor.

"The floods that swept through our state in 2010 sent a clear message: we must take action now to prevent future floods from harming our homes and businesses," Sen. Whitehouse said in a statement.

Construction is expected to take 15 months, paid for with federal funding, and employ 13 people.