New York state recently began construction on a $5.4 million project in Jefferson County.
The project will improve a 1,800-linear-foot section of County Road 57 in Lyme along with the shoulder.
County Road 57 is on the Point Peninsula between Chaumont Bay and Lake Ontario. It is the only land access for area residences. County Highway Department crews must monitor the roadway during flood incidents and must periodically close the road to clear and repair it.
The Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative (REDI) project funded the project. Gov. Andrew Cuomo created REDI in 2019 in response to flooding along Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. The initiative aims to boost economic development and increase the resilience of shoreline communities.
Five REDI Regional Planning Committees have identified public safety concerns, at-risk infrastructure and other assets, and local priorities.
The REDI Commission toured the areas hardest hit by flooding on Lake Ontario and developed a plan with local communities to develop a new vision for the shoreline.
The commission has allocated $235 million to local and regional projects, $30 million to improve the resiliency of businesses, $20 million for homeowner assistance, and $15 million toward a regional dredging effort.