Oswego and Cayuga counties will receive $43 million in state funding for projects meant to mitigate flooding from Lake Ontario, which reached record high levels this year. Most of the 31 projects will improve infrastructure in the area.
Some of the projects include adding new shoreline stabilization, sewer systems, stormwater collection, and elevating or replacing roads and bridges, as well as biking and walking trails. There is $6 million to raise parts of Wrights Landing Marina in Oswego, like the boat launch, pavilion and parking lot. $6.5 million would go towards installing new water, sewer and stormwater collection systems at the Oswego International Pier, to make it more pedestrian friendly.
New York State Office of General Services Commissioner RoAnn Destito met with the local planning committee and stakeholders in Oswego on Thursday. She said a conference in Albany will be held next week for community leaders and technical experts, to move the projects forward.
“We want the local governments to be there, but also, they should bring any of their engineers that they have put in place with their projects, and we will be able to walk through the exact way to do things,” Destito said. "The goal the governor has added to this conference is to keep these projects moving. Navigate the necessary steps to move to permitting and construction as expeditiously as possible.”
Funding is coming from the state’s $300 million Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative. $15 million will go towards regional dredging of Lake Ontario. $30 million for businesses and $20 million for homeowners has also been allocated for shoreline improvements and repairs.
