The Federal Emergency Management Agency has recognized Fayetteville as a potential recipient for significant federal funding through the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program.
The announcement of $15.4 million grant was made Aug. 28 on the FEMA website. The grant would fund a crucial flood maitigation project aimed at enhancing the city’s resilience and safeguarding its residents and infrastructure from the impacts of natural disasters.
The grant will fund projects the support the Russell-Person Street Bridge and Stream improvement plan. Projects are designed to provide an additional level of protection to public infrastructure within downtown Fayetteville by improving drainage, increasing storage capacity, and mitigating flooding impacts to residential and commercial properties along Blounts Creek.
The potential award would be the largest amount designated by FEMA to a community in North Carolina this funding cycle.
Staff presented the Blounts Creek Watershed Master Plan to council last night (Sept. 5). The initial grant application was submitted to FEMA in January of this year. This announcement is the final selection before programmatic review and formal award.
“We are excited at what we will be able to accomplish with the BRIC grant,” said city manager Douglas J. Hewett. “The Russell-Person Street Bridge and Stream improvement project will not only mitigate flooding risks but also demonstrates our commitment to building a safer community.”
The project incorporates green and gray infrastructure elements, including stream enhancements using native riparian-adapted species and the replacement of several key bridges over Blounts Creek.
Survey, design, and stakeholder engagement for the project began earlier this year, with the proposed improvements scheduled to be constructed in the fall of 2027.
