(GLEN COVE and BAXTER ESTATES, N.Y.) - In the 11th District, there are two Shore Roads – one in Glen Cove, and the other in Baxter Estates/Port Washington – and major overhauls to both are taking important steps forward, Nassau County Department of Public Works (DPW) officials have confirmed to Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton (D – Glen Cove).
Shore Road in Glen Cove, which runs 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. That project is expected to go out to bid this fall. Minority Leader DeRiggi-Whitton has secured $14.6 million in capital funding to support the project and partnered with Nassau DPW to host a community forum about the project last fall in Glen Cove.
The second Shore Road serves 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. Village officials have accepted a bid on the project, and they are aiming to break ground this summer on the work to secure the seawall, mitigate flooding, reduce coastal erosion. The project is being paid for by $5 million in County funding and a $7.7 million grant awarded to the Village of Baxter Estates by Governor Kathy Hochul.
“These two Shore Roads are on opposite sides of Hempstead Bay, but they share a common thread - they are absolutely essential for the communities that rely on them daily,” Minority Leader DeRiggi-Whitton said. “Reaching this point has taken a lot of hard work and determination, but it will all be worth it when the projects are completed and we are enjoying safer roads, more beautiful communities, and an overall improvement to our quality of life. I am tremendously proud that these upgrades are moving forward, and thankful to everyone who has supported this major undertaking.”
“I am truly delighted to see this long-awaited Shore Road project moving forward,” Lora Cusumano, Founder/Organizer of Shore Road Neighbors, and Chairperson of the Glen Cove Beautification Commission, said. “This is such an important investment in our community because it will bring better drainage, safer road design for drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians, and thoughtful streetscape improvements that will enhance the beauty of one of the most scenic areas in Glen Cove and Sea Cliff. I am especially grateful to Legislator DeRiggi-Whitton for staying on top of this project with us and for her continued commitment to helping move it toward completion for the benefit of all who live, travel, and enjoy this special shoreline corridor.”
“Efforts to repair the Shore Road seawall and restore the shoreline have been 11 years in the making - and Delia has been behind us every step of the way,” Baxter Estates Mayor Nora Haagenson said. “She has advocated relentlessly for us at all levels of government to secure the necessary resources for this project, and her efforts are a major part of why work is expected to begin soon. This is a great moment for Baxter Estates, and I am thrilled that this chapter in the ‘tale of two Shore Roads’ will soon have a happy ending.”