BOSTON – A new report is cautioning Boston against pursuing a costly harbor barrier to protect the city from flooding and rising seas.
Researchers from the University of Massachusetts-Boston and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution estimate such a barrier could range from $6.5 billion to $11.8 billion and take at least until 2050 to complete.
The team suggested the city should instead continue to make investments in relatively cheaper and quicker protections, such as temporary flood walls and berms.
The report is being released Wednesday as part of Boston Harbor for All, a summit focused on protecting Boston's booming harborfront from the impact of climate change. It was prompted by the city's 2016 Climate Ready Boston report that recommended studying the feasibility of a harbor barrier.
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