The state Department of Transportation is on board with plans drawn up by the City of Danbury to address flooding on Main Street.  Mayor Joe Cavo met with state officials yesterday.  The DOT will put a pump where the Department of Public Works installed one temporarily, so they will be ready for the next big storm. 

After an investigation, it was determined that about 100 feet of a nearby culvert collapsed because of tree roots.  The storm drain just beyond it is wide open, where the water was pumped to.  Cavo says that operation didn't cause any problems down stream. The DOT is working on Public Works Director Antonio Iadarola’s design plan for a new pipe, with surveyors on site recently.

The idea of pumping water off West Street in Danbury to clear the roadway like the City recently did on Main Street won't work as a solution. 

Cavo says it's not a blocked culvert, it's the dam that's problematic.  He's working on bringing in the Army Corps of Engineers to talk about a study.  If part of the dam is removed, they want to determine if that would alleviate flooding. 

Cavo says they have to be careful not to just move the problem elsewhere and flood people downstream. He thinks if some of the obstruction could be removed by Kingswood, West Street flooding could be resolved. But Cavo added that it won’t happen until long after he’s mayor.  He isn’t running for re-election next week. He’s seeking his old Council seat.