$20 million construction projects aim to protect Nassau County from flooding
NASSAU COUNTY, Long Island (WABC) -- Nassau County Executive Laura Curran was joined by state officials Tuesday in announcing a number of construction initiatives designed to protect thousands of South Shore homes and businesses from storm surge and tidal flooding.
The five flood prevention and resiliency projects are aimed at stemming the effects of climate change, evident in the historic and deadly flooding caused by the remnants of Hurricane Ida.
"Building our infrastructure safer, stronger, and smarter is a top priority before the next disaster strikes," Curran said. "These investments in hardening our infrastructure will help protect thousands of lives and millions of dollars' worth of property. We're thankful to Governor Kathy Hochul and the Governor's Office of Storm Recovery for providing the County with the needed resources for these critical projects."
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Construction is underway at Silver Lake Park to elevate the existing perimeter walkway, along with reinforcing the outlook areas with brick pavers and reinforcing the shoreline with bulkheads and natural boulders and vegetation.
Self-regulating tidal gates will be installed at southern end of the lake to regulate water flow and prevent tidal surges from entering and inundating the surrounding area. The project costs approximately $1.95 million and will be completed by next year.
"New York is leading on resiliency by prioritizing community-driven projects developed from a grassroots recovery process," said Eileen Méus, Deputy Executive Director for Community Reconstruction and Infrastructure of the Governor's Office of Storm Recovery. "We are excited to partner with Nassau County to implement the state's investment in infrastructure that will improve drainage and water quality across the South Shore."
Other projects breaking ground this month to be completed by 2022 include:
--Lawrence Pipe Improvement: Installing check valves and increasing the diameter of pipes along Meadow Lane, Marbridge Road, Causeway Road, North Road, and Barrett Road to remediate flooding at intersections. Additional drains will also be constructed along the rear of Harrison Street on the Lawrence golf course. Approximate cost: $9.18 million.
--Bay Park/ East Rockaway Drainage Improvements: Reconstruction of the drainage system on Lawson Avenue, including numerous streets between Davis and Lawrence and three separate systems located off Lawson Avenue, Adams Street, and North Boulevard. Improvements include increasing the size of pipes, installing additional drainage structures and new-in line check valves to prevent tidal surcharge. Approximate cost: $6.08 million.
--Cedarhurst Pump Station: Construction of a new stormwater pumping station, installation of tidal check valves and storm drain piping to and from the pump station. A new emergency generator will also be provided to operate the pump station upon the loss of power. The station is designed to protect portions of Peninsula Boulevard - a main artery and major emergency evacuation route for the entire Five Towns Community - from flooding. Approximate cost: $2.15 million.
--Lido Beach/Point Lookout Drainage Improvements: Mitigates tidal flooding and increases costal resiliency by installing in-line check valves associated with 5 stormwater drainage outfalls. New drainage structures along Lido Boulevard will be constructed to collect and dispose of excess runoff along the curb line. Approximate cost: $1.23 million.
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"In light of our changing climate and the increased severity of storms, substantial investment in resiliency measures is key to the long-term viability of our communities," state Senator Todd Kaminsky said. "These projects, totally over 20 million dollars, are a game-changing solution to protect the Island we love for generations to come."
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