Four members of Congress told the Army Corps of Engineers Friday to speed up work on replacing two aging bridges over the Byram River that have made flooding worse in Greenwich's Pemberwick neighborhood — a problem first identified more than 13 years ago.

U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, Connecticut Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, and U.S. Rep. George Latimer of New York sent a joint letter to Col. Eric Swenson, commander of the Army Corps' New York District, pushing the agency to prioritize the long-delayed project. The West Putnam Avenue and Hillside Avenue bridges carry Route 1 traffic across the Byram River at the Greenwich-Port Chester border — and according to the Army Corps, their outdated design constricts the river's flow during storms, raising water levels upstream and sending floodwaters straight into Pemberwick.

The lawmakers pointed to Hurricane Ida in September 2021, when eight inches of rain triggered flash flooding so severe that many Pemberwick residents woke up to basements flooded to the ceiling. No lives were lost, but the damage made painfully clear how much these bridges amplify flood risk for the neighborhood. "Replacing these bridges is an important component of improving the region's long-term flood resilience and protecting the public as we enter another hurricane season," the lawmakers wrote.

The Army Corps launched a feasibility study of the Byram River Basin back in 2012. Its Chief's Report recommending bridge replacement wasn't approved until 2020, when Congress also authorized construction. Two years later, Congress allocated $5.47 million for design and $35 million for construction. Greenwich signed on as the non-federal sponsor in 2023, with the design phase fully federally funded — yet as of the Army Corps' most recent public update in May 2025, the project remains stuck in design, with no construction start date announced.

The letter calls on the Army Corps to prioritize the project, speed up remaining reviews and approvals, coordinate closely with Connecticut and New York officials, and provide Congress with regular progress updates.

The Army Corps hasn't publicly responded to the letter, and Greenwich's First Selectman hasn't commented on the congressional push. Residents can track updates on the Town of Greenwich's Byram River Feasibility Study page at greenwichct.gov.