By Delia DeRiggi-Whitton
In the 11th District, we have two Shore Roads – one in Glen Cove, and the other in Baxter Estates and Port Washington. Each has its own challenges, but plans are in place to overcome these hurdles.
Shore Road, running 3.3 miles through Glen Cove (0.7 mile), Sea Cliff (1.7 miles) and Glenwood Landing (0.9 mile), is a Department of Transportation throughway that has been historically plagued by major flooding and a lack of sidewalks. These conditions make the road treacherous for everyone.
Last November, I joined with other concerned community members and local officials to review draft plans for the Shore Road streetscape, flood mitigation and traffic calming project encompassing Shore Road, Prospect Avenue, Cliff Way and the Boulevard. A key element of the project includes drainage improvements at Scudders Pond near Tappen Beach and key trouble spots on Carpenter Avenue, Hammond Road, and on Shore Road near The Boulevard.
The plans also call for rebuilding traffic signals at on Shore Road at Glenwood Road; Prospect Avenue at the Tappen Beach entrance and Littleworth Avenue; and redesigning Prospect Avenue’s intersection with Glen Avenue and Locust Place. There will also be extensive traffic calming work, including the installation of speed awareness devices, and an array of roadway and beautification improvements are set to yield bike lanes, ADA-compliant curb ramps and sidewalks and streetscaping along the north limits including lighting, benches, sidewalk widening and more.
Complete designs for this $14 million to $18 million investment in our future are expected to be finished by the fourth quarter of 2025 according to the Nassau County DPW, with construction slated to start in the second quarter of 2026.
As we make important progress toward breaking ground on this major undertaking in Glen Cove, we’re simultaneously focused on a second vital Shore Road – this one serving the communities of Port Washington, Manorhaven, and Baxter Estates and the approximately 12,000 residents and 8,000 vehicles that rely upon it each week.
There, major damage to the sea wall protecting Shore Road has created significant structural issues and compromised the integrity of the roadway. Initial plans were prepared this fall to repair the damage; however, revisions were needed after the contractor had expressed multiple concerns. Nassau County DPW officials recently confirmed that those revised plans have been resubmitted and are now awaiting New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) approval to begin work this spring.
Funding for this project is in place in large part because of the relentless efforts of Baxter Estates Mayor Nora Haagenson, who has already secured $7.7 million in state funding. Nassau County, which owns the road, has additionally allocated $5 million in capital resources toward revamping and repairing this vital thoroughfare. We are tremendously appreciative for this influx of resources, all of which will go a long way toward easing the tax burden and giving our local residents some much-needed peace of mind.
In these divided times, I am reminded of a saying that rings especially true – “There isn’t a Democratic or Republican way to pave a road – there’s just the correct way.”
These projects are examples of what multiple layers of government and leaders of all political persuasions can accomplish by working collaboratively, and it reinforces my belief that, although we may disagree on how to get there, we more or less want the same things – good health, prosperity, and safety.
By working together, I know this tale of two Shore Roads will have a happy ending for all of us.
Delia DeRiggi-Whitton, of Glen Cove, is the Democratic Minority Leader of the Nassau County Legislature. She represents 11th Legislative District and has served in the Legislature since 2012.