AECOM, the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, announced the City of Norfolk, Virginia has selected its joint venture with Moffatt & Nichol and Volkert to provide program and project management services in support of Norfolk’s $2.6 billion Coastal Storm Risk Management (CSRM) Program. AECOM will serve as managing partner of the Norfolk Resilience Partners JV, which assembles a deep bench of subject matter experts to support a team of local, highly dedicated and committed professionals to bolster Norfolk’s role as the Local Sponsor for this program. As an initiative of the Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the program aims to increase the City’s infrastructure resiliency, protecting it from coastal flooding and mitigating damage from significant storm events.
“As a major coastal city and maritime hub, the City of Norfolk is a place with significant history and critical infrastructure for the nation,” said Beverley Stinson, chief executive of AECOM’s global Water business. “Norfolk’s CSRM program provides a holistic approach to flood risk management to improve the way of life in this waterfront community and protect its economy and character. Our collective experience of more than 3,700 coastal and resiliency projects and nearly 80 years of working history with USACE will prepare us to bring this complex yet critical program to completion.”
AECOM will serve as managing partner of the Norfolk Resilience Partners JV
Under the single-award contract, Norfolk Resilience Partners will deliver comprehensive services, including program and project management, engineering and design, real estate services, public engagement, utility coordination, environmental and cultural resources evaluations and compliance, grant management and more. The project will be divided into five implementation phases: four phases associated with four watershed areas (Downtown, Pretty Lake, Lafayette River, Broad Creek) and the fifth phase to provide Non-Structural solutions across the City, such as home elevations, basement fills, and floodproofing.
“The program’s impact on the future of Norfolk’s flood management and the quality of life of its residents make it a model for resiliency programs for cities up and down the Atlantic coast, and even across the globe,” said Bane Gaiser, chief executive of AECOM’s U.S. East and Latin America region. “We’re proud to be involved in this collaborative effort with our partners, the City of Norfolk and USACE, to protect the lives of the Norfolk community and ensure the City’s long-term resilience.”
Norfolk was identified to be highly vulnerable to flooding by the USACE, having one of the highest rates of relative sea level rise among the Atlantic coastal communities. The joint venture’s main mission is to strengthen and prioritize Norfolk’s infrastructure to adapt to climate changes and protect against coastal storm risk for years to come, while maintaining the City’s livable coastal character. This includes a system of floodwalls with levees, surge barriers, nature-based features, tide gates, pump stations, and non-structural elements, such as home elevations, basement fills, and floodproofing.
