As good as Mayor BrianAndrews’ intentions at flood control in Cranford are, they do not come up to the bar. Former Mayor Dan Aschenbach found that the US Army Corp of Engineers and state Department of Environmental Protection spent $6 million on evaluating 21 alternatives only to be directed by the US Congress to find a solution. The project completion has been delayed till 2027.

It seems the township has been reengaging the Army Corp to assess several flooding options for decades with nothing substantial being done with the possible exception of the pumping station on Riverside Drive.

Where are the home buyouts under the state Blue Acres option? I know people (including myself) that live in high risk areas for flooding and have heard of no proposed buyouts. I do see new home construction and home elevations, and as far as the elevations go, I know that some are being bogged down in red tape and contractor mistakes. Delays add to increased risk as time goes on.

Locally, I’ve seen work done on the Riverside Drive levee but it is not significantly higher than it was. Was it already at the approved highest elevation?

As far as the de-snagging operation to remove dead trees and other debris from the river; well it’s just not enough! The river bed needs to be dredged deeply, which hasn’t been done in at least 20 years. Overdevelopment and removal of live trees, as far as I can see, occurs unabated and creates more impervious surfaces. The plan to sue the state of NJ to change the system and allow greater flexibility in allowing development seems a bit too late as Birchwood, Walnut Avenue and Williams Nursery in Westfield are either already up or are undergoing construction.

My wife and I have lived in Cranford 40 years now and have seen several devastating floods.After each one, the same lip service is repeated in different forms over the years. Nothing much to do until the next “big one” hits.

Lawrence Russo Cranford