DEC Announces Completion of Construction of Resiliency Project in Town of Greece, Monroe County

Upgrade of Braddock Road Sewers and Elevation of Braddock Road Sanitary Pump Station Will Protect Nearby Homes and Public Marina

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced today the completion of one of 11 projects awarded to the town of Greece, Monroe County, through Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative (REDI). The project's mitigation measures will eliminate flood risk through improvements made to storm sewers and the elevation of the Braddock Road Sanitary Pump Station, protecting it from flood waters.

DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said, "Governor Cuomo's Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative continues to advance projects to protect shoreline communities historically susceptible to flooding from high water and extreme weather events, here in Monroe County and all along the shores of Lake Ontario. Elevating the Braddock Road Sanitary Pump Station and upgrading the sewers are strategic projects identified by the community that will protect the town of Greece from flood waters for years to come."

During high water events in 2017 and 2019, storm sewers in the Braddock Road area were overwhelmed and the local storm water outfalls backed up, which became an additional source of flooding. Residents resorted to discharging their sumps into the sanitary sewer, putting those critical systems at risk. Without direct intervention, continued flooding would jeopardize the structural integrity of local roads homes, and sanitary sewer systems, along with presenting safety concerns to emergency responders. The infrastructure improvements that have been made will mitigate the impacts of future flooding events and will protect the sanitary sewer from being overwhelmed. These mitigation measures will provide overall flood resiliency for 256 households and the Braddock Bay Park and Public Marina.

Senator Joseph Robach said, "I was happy to represent the lakeshore community by supporting this important project. The completion of the Braddock Road Sewers project will assist in protecting properties from flooding and the hazard of overflows, and it will also allow for greater flexibility in the future while helping to maintain the infrastructure in this area."

Assemblyman Peter Lawrence said, "I am pleased to see that the Braddock Road Sewers project has been completed. This quarter-million-dollar infrastructure investment by the state will keep residents safe from flooding and improve environmental health by reducing exposure of bacteria and contaminants. I applaud all my partners in government for advocating for this project and thank the REDI Commission for acknowledging the community's need and moving forward with the plan."

Town Supervisor William Reilich said, "With construction on Braddock Road sewers completed in less than 45 days, I'm happy to report that each and every home on Braddock Road will now be able to discharge sump pumps to an approved storm sewer system. This is a huge step forward in terms of our resiliency goals, and especially toward relieving pressure on our sanitary sewer pump stations which were nearly overwhelmed during the devastating flooding of 2017 and 2019. New storm sewer control valves and pumping facilities will assist tremendously with flood control operations as we move ahead. As the 2020 construction season draws to a close, my REDI team is busy preparing another round of projects for construction. I'd like to thank Governor Cuomo for his continued focus on coastal resiliency through the REDI program, which has been such a success in Greece and other shoreline communities."

As part of the State's ongoing response to record flooding that hit Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River shoreline communities during spring and summer 2019, Governor 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. 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 REDI counties (Niagara, Orleans, Monroe, Wayne, Cayuga, Oswego, Jefferson and St. Lawrence). The remaining balance, $235 million, has been allocated toward local and regional projects that advance and exemplify the REDI mission.

Directed by Governor Cuomo, the REDI Commission is led by DEC and Empire State Development. Additional participating agencies and authorities include the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York, State Office of General Services, Department of Transportation, Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, NYS Homes and Community Renewal, Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services and Office of Emergency Management, New York Power Authority, State Department of Labor, and the New York State Department of State.

DEC is the lead agency on the Braddock Road Sewers project. Click here for a list of Monroe County REDI projects. Additional REDI projects awarded to the town of Greece are anticipated to break ground early next year.

Construction underway on Braddock Road Storm Sewers

Completion of resiliency upgrades to Braddock Road storm sewer system

https://www.dec.ny.gov/press/press.html