(PORT WASHINGTON and BAXTER ESTATES, N.Y.) – Nassau County is continuing to refine a phased-in approach for repairing the Shore Road sea wall in Port Washington, officials have confirmed to Nassau County Legislature Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton (D – Glen Cove).
Work would begin in the near term with a focus on plugging the hole in the wall and backfilling, County officials said on Friday, Nov. 1. Thereafter, in the spring, workers would return to the site to replace the deteriorated wall. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) officials are scheduled to meet with the contractors at low tide on Thursday, Nov. 7 to ensure all constructability concerns are addressed before the County modifies the project and resubmits it to the State for permit modification.
NYSDEC approved the reconstruction project over the summer on Aug. 29, and initial plans were finalized on Sept. 10. However, the contractor subsequently identified multiple concerns regarding the proposed work. Following multiple site visits, a consensus was reached that revisions and a modified permit were needed.
“There are so many communities that rely on Shore Road, and it is encouraging to see that plans for ensuring this roadway’s long-term safety and integrity are coming into focus,” Minority Leader DeRiggi-Whitton said. “It is my hope that the state, county and contractors will work collaboratively and expeditiously so that permits are swiftly in place and work can begin as quickly as possible to give communities up and down the Port Washington peninsula the peace of mind they need. I am grateful for everyone’s continued patience with this project and thank Baxter Estates Mayor Nora Haagenson for her tireless work on this massive undertaking.”
These plans are being refined in order to repair extensive damage to a section of the seawall, sidewalk, and a portion of the southbound travel lane on Shore Road – a route used by approximately 12,000 residents and 8,000 vehicles weekly. Governor Kathy Hochul recently awarded $7.7 million in state funding to the Village of Baxter Estates toward infrastructure upgrades that secure the seawall, mitigate flooding, reduce coastal erosion, and more.
Earlier this summer on July 30, contractors completed emergency work install a temporary barrier adjacent to the eroded section of Shore Road.