Flood Risk Management Strategies for Bridgeport, Connecticut: AComparative Analysis of Infrastructure Hardening and Managed Retreat

Azeez Adewale Adejumo

This study analyzes sea-level rise management options for Bridgeport, Connecticut, comparing infrastructurehardening and managed retreat using a mixed-methods approach that integrates geospatial analysis, policy analysis,and vulnerability assessment. Sea-level rise projections under NOAA scenarios range from 3.3 ft (low emission) to15.1 ft (extreme) by 2100, with the South End and East End neighborhoods exhibiting the highest compositevulnerability scores. A 30-year cost-benefit analysis demonstrates that while infrastructure hardening providesimmediate protection, escalating maintenance costs and the risk of catastrophic failure make it less viable in thelong term. Managed retreat offers permanent risk reduction but faces significant social resistance and equityconcerns. This study concludes that a hybrid strategy—combining targeted hardening of critical infrastructure withphased managed retreat from the most vulnerable zones—provides the most effective and equitable solution. Equityis identified as a central policy concern, as low-income and minority communities bear a disproportionate share offlood risk. These findings have direct applicability to other coastal cities facing similar challenges, includingmegacities such as Lagos, Nigeria, where unfettered urban growth has severely compounded flood vulnerability.