State will spend $950K replacing 4 culverts in Kendall as part of REDI initiative
Press Release, NYS Department of Transportation
KENDALL – The New York State Department of Transportation today announced the start of construction on a $950,000 project to combat flooding in the Town of Kendall, Orleans County, as part of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative (REDI), aimed at rebuilding lake shore communities affected by Lake Ontario flooding in 2019.
During times of high water, culverts adjacent to Edrose Shore, Knapp Shore and Thompson Drive become clogged with debris, causing frequent road closures due to flooding. This interruption to traffic is a safety hazard, limiting emergency access to nearby residents.
Town of Kendall Supervisor Anthony Cammarata said, “Through the Governor’s Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative, and with great partnership with state agencies, we will replace four critical culverts. These measures will not only reduce the chance of road closures due to flooding but will also increase public safety for the residents of the Town of Kendall, allowing continued access for emergency vehicles and personal. We are thankful for this opportunity to work collaboratively with New York State.”
Resiliency and revitalization measures for this project consist of replacing four existing culverts located within 200 feet of Lake Ontario with a more modern design that will ultimately enhance safety and promote uninterrupted access for nearby residents and homes.
State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “Governor Cuomo is continuing his promise to help lakeshore communities build back better and ensure our infrastructure is more resilient to the negative impacts of flooding and climate change. The State Department of Transportation stands with New Yorkers who have had to experience these devastating floods firsthand, and we are committed to helping shoreline communities become more resilient and economically viable for the future.”
Orleans County Legislature Chair Lynne Johnson said, “As we continue to progress REDI projects to fortify our lake front infrastructure, the replacing of culvert ends on Edrose Shore, Knapp Shore, and Thompson Drive in the Town of Kendall are a great example of making our infrastructure more resilient to flooding. This project, along with the other Orleans County REDI projects, is a testament to the level of commitment Governor Cuomo, the Lake Ontario Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative, the Town of Kendall, and Orleans County has made to ensuring we maintain public and private infrastructure that promotes economic development, sustainability, and resiliency.”
In response to the extended pattern of flooding along the shores of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, Governor Cuomo created REDI to increase the resilience of shoreline communities and bolster economic development in the region. Five REDI Regional Planning Committees, comprised of representatives from eight counties (Niagara and Orleans, Monroe, Wayne, Cayuga and Oswego, and Jefferson and St. Lawrence) were established to identify local priorities, at-risk infrastructure and other assets, and public safety concerns. The REDI Commission allocated $20 million for homeowner assistance, $30 million to improve the resiliency of businesses, and $15 million toward a regional dredging effort that will benefit each of the eight counties in the REDI regions. The remaining $235 million has been allocated towards local and regional projects that advance and exemplify the REDI mission.
At Governor Cuomo’s direction, the REDI commission toured areas hard hit by flooding on Lake Ontario and worked with local communities to come up with a new vision for the shoreline from both a resiliency and economic development point of view in order to build back better and stronger for the future.
