Video: Canals Proposed For Boston In Response To Rising Sea Levels

To deal with the potential threat of rising sea levels, the Urban Land Institute in Boston has proposed to change some of the streets into canals, similar to those in Venice, Italy or Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Rising water levels are cause for concern in highly populated coastal areas like the city of Boston where the ocean is expected to rise by over seven feet by the year 2100.

To deal with this potential threat, the Urban Land Institute in Boston has proposed to change some of the streets into canals, similar to those in Venice, Italy or Amsterdam, Netherlands.

But according to one expert, the water levels fluctuate more drastically in Boston than in European cities that use canals.

John Bolduc, an environmental planner for the City of Cambridge notes, “We’re at the point of really thinking what we need to do differently, given the future we’re facing. We’re all going to have to cope with more flooding.”

The Urban Land Institute report outlining the plan to build canals focuses on the parts that will become vulnerable to flooding as sea levels continue to rise.

A canal system in Boston would also include artificial wetlands and flood gates to control the movement of water.

Other solutions to rising water levels are discussed in the report, including building elevated walkways for pedestrians.