Photos, Video, Report on High Water Across City
By Julie Perine on April 16, 2018
Editor's Note: See new video links at bottom of story, footage which shows Wayne Jamison Field and behind Bridgeport High School
UPDATE 2:45 p.m.
Director of Bridgeport Emergency Services Laura Pysz advises that Virginia Avenue has been reopened as waters are receding. Debris is currently being cleaned up along Anderson Street, then that roadway will be opened. Other streets will be opened as deemed safe for travel.
ORIGINAL POST 11:30 a.m.
Many say it's the worse flooding the city has seen for decades. Several streets are closed, including Water Street, Anderson Street, Virginia Avenue and City Park Drive. Bridgeport City Park, Wayne Jamison Field and the back parking lot of Bridgeport High School are under water. School was canceled today and motorists are advised to use extreme caution when traveling. Never drive through standing water.
Bridgeport Police Chief John Walker said patrol officers began closing streets around 2:30 a.m. Water Street was the first.
“We also went door to door along Water Street notifying people that there may be some danger coming their way as water was already in the street,” he said.
Members of Bridgeport Fire Department also canvassed neighborhoods, checking on residents and alerting them that waters were exceeding their banks.
Waters continued to rise in the early morning hours, crossing Virginia Avenue at the Water Street intersection. Virginia Avenue was closed to traffic around 6 a.m.
As of 12 p.m. Monday, Walker said he has no knowledge of any homes being flooded, but there is a car under water along Water Street by the Hot Rod Shop and a boat that must be well-secured as it has not floated away.
There have been no incidents within city limits due to flooding.
“We’ve not had any issues reported where anyone had to be rescued or pulled out of water, but we did have one request at a home around Water Street to bring the side-by-side get someone out of a house,” Walker said.
Bridgeport Fire Department personnel said they were called to a home to help an elderly resident out of the house with a wheelchair due to muddy conditions. The department has had no other water-related issues.
Water is high at Bridgeport Fire Department. The back parking lot is only assessible via the entrance to United Security Agency.
The water is higher than what Walker has seen in quite some time, he said.
Damaged will be assessed once waters recede. It is not known at this time how much damage was done to the turf at Wayne Jamison Field, but Walker said the turf at the newly-renovated Frank Loria 
Field in Nutter Fort was brought up by flood waters.
Field in Nutter Fort was brought up by flood waters.
“It came up and some of it floated away,” he said. “It’s a mess.”
Dan Riggs of Dan Riggs Towing said he has received no calls to tow vehicles due to high water.
Director of Bridgeport Emergency Services Laura Pysz said the torrential rains and rising waters took the city by surprise. Rain was forecast, but the conditions that resulted were not expected. She said many of the city’s trouble spots, such as Route 131 – areas which usually have standing water after heavy rainfall – were not affected this time.
Pysz said it is thanks proactive Bridgeport police and fire departments that there were no real issues or safety situations concerning the high waters.
“I can’t offer enough kudos to the police department. They were up knocking on doors in the middle of the night, having people move their vehicles, etc. Lt. Mike Lemley was texting me at 4 a.m. this morning, telling me what streets were closed,” she said.
As of a 10 a.m. news briefing, the rains are stopping in the immediate area.
“Waters are starting to go down here in Bridgeport, but other areas, like the West Fork River in Clarksburg has a way to go before it fully crests and flood warnings in that area are extended,” Pysz said.
Though rainfall is tapering and likely coming to a halt here in Bridgeport, colder conditions are on the way and there’s a chance we could see some snow flurries.
“In the mountains, it has already changed over to snow, but we aren’t expecting to see (flurries) until later this evening,” she said. “With temperatures dropping, it’s going to be interesting travel wise.”
Depending upon how low temperatures drop, there could be some freezing on the roadways. All residents are urged to stay up to date on weather conditions.
Below are photos and a video clip of sights around the city. From top: Wayne Jamison Field; Simpson Creek at the Lloyd Lang Bridge, beside Bridgeport Fire Department; behind Bridgeport High School; the city parking lot just off Center Street; another photo of Wayne Jamison Field and Simpson Creek along Water Street. Footage below was taken from Virginia Avenue, which is closed to motorists.
Click HERE for video of Wayne Jamison Field
Click HERE for video behind Bridgeport High School
Click HERE for video of Bridgeport Fire Department/Lloyd Lang Bridge, Main Street
Click HERE for video of area behind Bridgeport Dairy Queen, Main Street
