$1.8 Million On the Way To Repair Orient Beach State Park

Funds are still pouring in to counter the damage Superstorm Sandy left behind on the North Fork.

On Thursday, United States Senator Charles Schumer announced that the New York Department of Transportation was awarded $1.8 million in federal funding to repair and upgrade the parkway at Orient Beach State Park.

Superstorm Sandy packed a punch to the affected area, washing out 67,794 square feet of paved roadway and bike lanes, 3500 cubic yards of shoulders, communication lines and erosion control measures.

The funds will be used to bring the the parkway back to its pre-storm look, capacity, and function -- and add new mitigation measures to reduce the impact of future storms and flooding.

“Superstorm Sandy wreaked havoc along the parkway of Orient Beach State Park,” Schumer said. “These federal funds will ensure that local taxpayers are not on the hook for repairing this critical infrastructure."

Added Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, “The parkway at Orient Beach State Park was hit hard by Superstorm Sandy and Long Island’s coastal communities suffered severe damage. This necessary funding is an important step as we continue to meet New York's needs to recover and rebuild.”

The permanent repair and hazard mitigation funding is being provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.