Cuomo Announces Groundbreakings For Resiliency Projects At Oswego Port
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ALBANY — Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced the start of construction for the East Operating Dock in the Port Authority of Oswego, in addition to key milestones of the Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative, which successfully completed its first year helping municipalities, residents and businesses along the Lake Ontario shoreline.
“The REDI program exemplifies the importance of partnerships between state and local government. Through open dialogue and thoughtful planning, we are assisting shoreline communities in not only building back but building back better and stronger than ever before,” Gov. Cuomo said. “These projects will safeguard economies, enhance public safety, protect public health and conserve the environment of affected shoreline communities for decades to come.”
“We are committed to investing in projects to increase resiliency and prevent flooding in our communities,” said Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul. “These projects at the Port Authority of Oswego and in the town of Irondequoit will address damage due to flooding and weather events and help to build back better and stronger. Improved infrastructure is critical in helping to ensure our businesses and residents are safe and continue to strengthen the economy moving forward.”
The Port of Oswego project seeks to address high water damage to the north end of the Port Authority’s East Operating Dock, which is located directly on Lake Ontario and highly susceptible to wave action and flooding. During high water events, the existing stone retaining wall has failed to break waves, resulting in a breach of the wall and direct undercutting of the main dock.
“The East Operating Dock project is small in scope but enormous in value. The work being done is vital to the continued operation of the Port, and to the safety of our employees. Thank you to Gov. Cuomo and the REDI Commission for recognizing the importance of these rehabilitations and for the valuable partnership as our projects progress,” said Port of Oswego Authority Director Bill Scriber.
As part of the state’s ongoing response to record flooding that hit Lake Ontario shoreline communities during spring and summer 2019, Gov. Cuomo created the REDI Commission, a multi-agency team tasked with studying sustainable solutions to strengthen infrastructure and mitigate impacts from future flooding while bolstering the region’s local economies. Through REDI, the state has committed up to $300 million to rebuild the shoreline, as well as improve resiliency in flood-prone regions along the lake, $235 million of which has been allocated toward local and regional projects that advance and exemplify the REDI mission.
Since the governor’s creation of REDI in the spring of 2019, all 133 awarded REDI projects are underway, including 113 projects in the design phase, twelve projects in the construction phase, and eight projects completed in its first year. In addition to the REDI projects, 20 Regional Dredging Projects were identified; one dredging project is currently underway, three are complete.
CENTRAL NEW YORK MILESTONES:
East Operating Dock, Oswego County, Port of Oswego Authority, Construction Phase, $300,000 award: Installation of a cellular steel sheeting wall to break high water wave action in the impacted area to protect the north end of the East Operating Dock. This project will also protect the integrity of the dock, ensuring continued operation and maintaining public safety.
Port Authority Marina, Oswego County, Port Authority of Oswego, Construction Complete, $40,000 award: Installed new, self-adjusting docks to replace docks that were at a fixed elevation.
Port Authority West Pier, Oswego County, Port Authority of Oswego, Construction Complete, $149,513 award: Shoreline stabilization measures along the West Pier where high water and excessive wave action had negatively impacted the berm.
North Sandy Pond Resiliency Project, Oswego County, Town of Sandy Creek, Construction Phase, $600,000 award: Nature-based shoreline (beach and dune) restoration of barrier island and stabilization of channel.
Mexico Point State Park, Oswego County, Construction Complete, $480,000 award: Installation of 435 linear feet (LF) of shoreline stabilization with the placement of 3,200 tons of stone to prevent further shoreline depredation.
Wrights Landing Marina, Oswego County, City of Oswego, Construction Phase, $6,100,000 award: Raising the elevation of marina structures to compensate for higher water levels, including the boat launch, pavilion area, parking lot, and access roads. The structures will be raised approximately three feet in order to reduce future flooding. Additional mitigation measures include adding Bioretention basins to infiltrate, store, and filter the rainwater.
North Sandy Pond Inlet, Oswego County, Dredging Underway: Dredging of navigation channel.
Fairhaven Beach State Park, Cayuga County, Construction Complete, $1,200,000 award: Upgrades to the parking areas including elevating the parking lot by approximately two feet to make it more resilient to future high water, the installing an improved drainage system, replacement of an existing water service line and repaving of the parking area.
McIntyre Road, Cayuga County, town of Sterling, Construction Phase, $1,500,000 award: Removal of existing culverts and replacing with a bridge that improves resiliency of the crossing by reducing creek velocities during high water events and provides adequate erosion protection.
Source: NNY360 & Watertown Daily Times